A Fault of Fire and Electricity
by advocateofpants
Summary: A young Pokémon embarks on a quest to achieve his dream of becoming a legendary Pokémon rescuer, and soon finds himself caught in a crisis that could put the world itself in peril. Inspired by the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. (Rated T for some potentially disturbing content, especially in later chapters.)
1. Chapter 1 -- Introduction

In this world, most people dream of doing something incredible. Some wish to become a firefighter or a soldier, while others wish to be a famous athlete or musician. On the other hand, there are also those who wish they could do something "out of this world." Some wish for superpowers, some might dream they were an animal of some kind, and some may even wish they could meet creatures from another dimension. In one such world, this dream is a reality. In this world, there exists creatures with infinite power—creatures that roam the dreams of people of all ages—and humans who are able to bond with these creatures and become lifelong friends. This is the world of Pokémon. Some people capture Pokémon for the sake of training them in the hopes that they will one day become a Pokémon master, while others study Pokémon or keep them as pets. Beyond this world co-inhabited by humans and Pokémon, there exists another. In this particular world, humans do not exist; only Pokémon.

This Pokémon-only world, though vastly different from ours, functions just as one would expect it to. Each part of the world is inhabited by specific types of Pokémon, living and working together one day at a time. Each region has its own customs, its own beliefs, its own desires, and other such things setting them apart, just as a world inhabited by humans would. In this world, however; in the place of a police force or a military, there exists a class of Pokémon respected and revered by all. These "rescuers," as they are often called, form teams of two or three for the sake of protecting others. Typically, they help those who have lost their way or defend those in some form of danger. In a time of disaster or great tragedy, however; higher-ranked rescuers band together to provide assistance to those afflicted. Many hope to reach this level of heroism, inspired by the bravery and the selflessness of those elite few.

One such Pokémon is a young Lucario named Luke. Since he was little, he has been dreaming of being among the best, just like his father, a Blaziken named Blaze, having grown up listening to stories of the legendary rescuer's previous exploits. After eight years of training, he feels he is finally ready to become a rescuer, ready to begin pursuing his ambition. On this particular morning, he began his usual routine of waking up early and having breakfast, but deviated from that by returning to his room instead.

Upon returning to his room, he immediately set about packing a few things he had laid out, humming to himself as he did so. Every so often, he'd pause for a moment, making a mental note of something, and then resume packing. Suddenly, he heard a knock on his bedroom door. Having been stirred from his reverie, Luke opened the door to find his father standing there.

"Hey, dad," Luke said with a smile. "What's up?"

"Just wanted to see what you were up to," Blaze replied. "May I come in?"

"Sure."

Luke walked back to his bed, and casually continued packing while his father entered the room.

"So…what exactly _are_ you doing?" Blaze asked, tilting his head upon noticing the pack his son was filling.

"Oh, this?" he asked, pointing at the pack on the bed. "I'm getting some stuff together before I take off on my first mission," he declared proudly.

"Son… About that…" Blaze said softly, and sighed. His son looked back in concern. "There's actually a few things I'd like to discuss with you. You got a moment?"

"Uh…sure, dad." Luke finishes packing and places the bag at his feet before sitting down on the bed, turning to face his father as he did so. The elder Blaziken sat down next to his teenage son, and smiled.

"You know, you've grown so much. I just can't believe how time has flown by. It seems like only yesterday, you were just an infant Riolu, and now look at you."

"Heh… Thanks, dad."

"No problem," Blaze replied with a quick laugh followed by a brief silence. "You know…" he said softly, suddenly struggling to remain calm, "I still have vivid memories of the day I found you, as well as the day I accepted you as my own son. I remember that, when my team brought you back and we filled everyone in on what went on, they immediately began a mission of sorts to find your real family. As time passed by with no results, I just decided that…" He paused to gather himself before continuing, "I decided that we had waited long enough. You needed someone to take care of you. Adopting you just seemed like the right thing for me to do, since I was already the main one looking after you."

"Huh?" Luke looked at father's now-solemn face, confused at the sudden change of subject. "Why are you bringing this up…?" he asked, a hint of worry now present in his voice. "Dad? Are you…crying?"

Blaze breathed a sigh and wiped his eyes. "I'm fine, son. I just… I think it's time you knew the truth about this whole thing—about how you ended up with me."

Luke smiled as he placed a comforting paw on his father's shoulder. "Dad… I already know I'm not you're real son. That was something you told me a few years back. Remember?"

Blaze nodded. "Of course I remember that. But now, I think it's time I told you why I adopted you. However," he sighed, "I only ask that you bear with me. A lot of what I'm about to tell you is still extremely painful." He breathed a great sigh, preparing himself as much as possible before he began his story.


	2. Chapter 2 -- A Painful Recollection

Luke braced himself for whatever his father had to say, curious to know what led up to him being found and adopted by the brave Fire-type.

Blaze cleared his throat, and shifted before he began. "It actually began about a year or so before I ended up adopting you, so at this point, it's been almost fourteen years." He closed his eyes for a moment, then continued. "The fall had set in. Now, that's normally not something to worry about. Unfortunately, this particular fall was much colder than normal. As expected, everyone worked diligently to prepare for the upcoming winter. Since the fall was unusually cold, it was safe to assume that the winter was going to be especially severe."

"Within time, the winter came, and just as we had all expected, it was a mess. But just when we thought things couldn't get any worse, we were caught off-guard by the true nature of this mess. Even areas that were normally unaffected by such weather were hit. There were blizzards, hailstorms, extreme winds—pretty much everything you'd expect from a typical winter, except it all hit at once, and it was many times worse than anything we had seen before. Many towns and villages were destroyed, and the number of casualties caused by all of the extreme conditions was staggering."

Blaze became silent, again bracing himself for the next part of his memories from so long ago. During this moment of silence, Luke pondered what he had just heard; a bitter fall leading into a catastrophic winter. However, as much as he tried to imagine the damage that was caused, he couldn't think about it without a shudder; trying to picture the number of Pokémon affected by the disaster was too painful.

After Blaze had regained his composure, he continued his story. "I remember things being so bad, a lot of non-rescuers actually joined forces with the various rescue teams to provide food, shelter, medical aid, and other forms of assistance. Among the non-rescuers we had helping out here was my wife… Amber…" Blaze was immediately silent upon mentioning his wife's name, numb from the grief of what followed. "She was my main supporter right from the start. She had never wanted to be a rescuer, but she still held down the fort while I was on a mission. What's crazy about that, yet amazing at the same time, is that she was always concerned about me or about someone else. She was the best friend anyone could have, and as soon as the winter struck, she was one of the first ones to volunteer. She had an incredible sense of courage."

Luke sighed softly, and after a brief silence, responded to his father's words. "I remember seeing pictures of her. That smile of her's can break anyone out of depression."

Blaze managed a faint smile, and resumed his story. "After what seemed like an eternity, the winter had turned into spring, but the damage from the snow, wind, and ice—it was horrifying. And because of the return of warm weather, we suddenly had the threat of landslides and floods to attend to on top of everything else. Homes still needed rebuilt, many were recovering from illness or injury, the harsh cold had led to a severe famine…"

His voice trailed off as he recalled the daunting task that they had faced all those years ago. He remained silent, allowing Luke to take everything in. Upon his son's request, Blaze continued, bracing himself in the process.

"It took at least a month or so before we had everything cleaned up. Everyone worked virtually nonstop to help those in need. Amber was one of the hardest workers we had helping us. She was always capable of holding her own when necessary, especially in a situation like that. I often spoke to her about taking a break, but Amber insisted she was fine. Since her mind was made up, I frequently reminded her not to overwork herself. She was constantly moving; from the start of the harsh winter season all the way up to the end of the whole mess, she never stopped."

Again, he fell silent, closing his eyes and breathing heavily. Luke wrapped one arm around his father's shoulders, calming him and giving him the strength to continue.

"After the whole thing was over," he began again, his voice shaking, "we immediately returned to our usual routine. Unfortunately, the celebrations were short-lived; all of that running back and forth had finally caught up to Amber. Out of nowhere, she became ill. I wasn't entirely sure what to do, so I contacted Mack and Karen and told them what had happened." Luke sighed, the mention of his brother and sister bringing back memories of time he had spent with them.

Blaze continued with a noticeable hint of grief in his words. "Once they knew the situation, they rushed to get here. They made it in time to see their mother, and immediately made the decision to stay here and help me take care of her. I was thankful beyond words for that." Tears began welling up in his eyes again. "Sadly, the situation went from bad to worse." His voice was now shaking. "It started as a bad case of exhaustion, and we were confident that, with enough rest, she'd get through it. However, that wasn't the case. Her illness had turned into pneumonia, and I could see the fear in her eyes. She was given medicine to treat the pneumonia, but it was useless. We all pleaded with her to pull through it, but even with all of the strength she possessed…" The tears began to flow as Luke continued to console his father.

Amidst the high level of grief he was enduring, Blaze resumed his story. "She just kept getting weaker and weaker, and after suffering for about a week and a half, she couldn't fight it any longer. We lost her… She was gone, and there was nothing I could do about it… If I had only given her that medicine sooner…" He shook his head. "She had touched the lives of everyone here. She had no enemies; if anything, many of the Pokémon here saw her as a sister or as a mother figure. Naturally, when the news got around, there wasn't a dry eye in sight…" Blaze could no longer hold his emotions back. Overcome with grief, he buried his face in his hands and wept bitterly.

Luke bravely continued to console his father while his own thoughts returned to that of his brother and sister. After listening to his father's sad memory, he wished the two could be there. They were there all those years ago, so they would know how to react to their father's diminished mood. He also wished he could hang out with them again. Maybe the three could catch up on current events, go for a walk, entertain each other with their odd sense of humor, or even share some personal thoughts about whatever. _They don't visit us enough_, he thought.

Anxious to get to the end of the story, Luke gently pulled his father into a comforting embrace and said whatever came to mind in an effort to calm him down. Little by little, the crying faded, and after what seemed like hours, it had stopped entirely. Luke let go of Blaze, and after thanking his son for the support, he moved on to the next part. A feeling of nervousness mixed with a new-found sense of curiosity filled the young Lucario as his father prepared to give the explanation that had been withheld for so long.

"After Amber died, I completely fell apart." He cleared his throat. "It was the first time I had felt such a high degree of loneliness, and I was an utter mess. I kept to myself. I couldn't sleep. I had no appetite. I even lost that passion I had for being a rescuer. I thought that without Amber there, why bother? Mack and Karen ended up taking care of me, and the two of them, as well as everyone else, kept telling me that I'm not alone. They reminded me that I still have my friends and family; there are still those who support me, and care about me. Unfortunately, a lot of them gave up on trying to snap me out of my depression, but among the ones who didn't give up were your brother and sister, and my own teammates."

Luke smiled at the mention of Tide and Ryder, the two Pokémon who accompanied his father on so many missions all those years ago. They were a pair of crazy guys, but when it came down to business, the support the Feraligatr and Tyranitar provided was invaluable. His thoughts drifted to the stories he had heard about his father's team, Team Dynamo. Few teams were able to match them in terms of efficiency, courage, strength, and other such traits.

"Yeah," Blaze said softly, glad to know they still looked out for him. "Eventually, I had shed most of the depression; I broke out of my isolation, but I still didn't have the heart to accept any missions. Amber was basically my good luck charm. Just knowing I could look forward to her smile upon my return, and knowing that I had her support no matter what happened was enough to keep me going through even the harshest of elements. Without her, I felt…weak…" He sighed. "Tide and Ryder were both worried that I would end up disbanding our team because of the situation, but that only pressured them to keep pressuring me." He laughed at that last remark, which brought a smile to Luke's face as well. "Back then, I was incredibly stubborn at times. This was one of those times, and as I mentioned before, those two didn't back down."

"Right around the same time, we had started getting reports of missing Pokémon in the mountains to the east of here. My teammates wanted to help, and kept urging me to volunteer us, but I initially refused. However, as the number of missing Pokémon continued to rise, the situation turned dire. All those Pokémon had just vanished without a trace, and there was no way of knowing where they were or if they were hurt. Ultimately, my better judgment took over. As the situation worsened, it became a much higher priority, and at that point I asked myself, 'What would Amber do in a situation like this?' I thought about it and realized that if I wasn't going to do it, she would probably do it herself, if possible. That was when I finally decided, 'No more feeling sorry for myself. I am a rescuer, and there are innocent Pokémon that need my help.'"


	3. Chapter 3 -- A Fateful Mission

Having his spirit lifted, Blaze was calm once again. Before describing the mission that ultimately brought him and Luke together, Blaze made a few quick statements. "This is one mission I never told you about. As I mentioned before, I felt it was time you knew the truth about this particular part of yourself. I would have already explained it to you, but I wanted to wait until you were old enough to understand." Luke nodded silently, indicating that he understood his father's words.

"Now…this is where things start to come together," he explained. "After we had prepared ourselves for the trip, we were given the exact details of this mission. We had to head to the mountains, find the cause of the mysterious disappearances, and help the missing Pokémon return home. We weren't about to take things lightly; we knew better. We made sure to be ready for anything in the event the Pokémon were injured or something. We marked the destination on our map, then took a moment to discuss our strategy for this mission and plan our daily routine. When that was finally done, we were on our way."

He cleared his throat and shifted slightly, then continued. "The journey had a rough start, but by working together, we were able to sort it out."

"So…what exactly happened?" Luke asked.

"While we knew we had to head east, we couldn't agree on an exact path to follow at first. We knew we had to hurry, so in the end, we just decided to keep the map out, and follow it as we walked, making a mental note to keep track of the places we found along the way. Once that dispute was resolved, we started moving again. Unfortunately, we ended up getting our position on the map mixed up, and had to retrace our steps. I have no idea exactly how many times we kept getting ourselves lost." Luke couldn't help but giggle as he pictured the scenario in his mind; his father's team arguing over what path to take was no laughing matter, but the thought of them misreading their map and going in circles was somehow amusing. Blaze simply stared at his son with an expression upon his face that seemed to say, 'Cute. Very…cute. I'll remember this.' Luke promptly cleared his throat and apologized, allowing his father to continue.

"Anyway… Once we got our bearings, the journey wasn't too bad for the most part. It was quiet, exhausting, and rather stressful, but we pressed on, encouraging one another along the way. To be honest, accepting this mission was the best thing for me at this point, because it gave me an excuse to get away from here for a while. Being with two of my closest friends, and being surrounded by nature… Having the opportunity to be a hero again… It was great to have that after everything I had been through."

"After three days of traveling, we finally started to notice fewer trees and more rocks. In a way, it was a bit of a relief having the forests behind us, since we were now able to see the progress we had made. Before that, it felt like we weren't going anywhere. We kept following the path, and before long, we were slowly going uphill. Moments later, we noticed a village, with the mountains creeping closely behind it. This was a tremendous blessing for us because we were both mentally and physically exhausted. We were also running dangerously low on supplies, since there weren't any shops along the way, and foraging yielded more lost time than anything."

He shifted again, a look of unease adorning his face. "We noticed a signpost close by—the kind that usually gives the name of the location—but the words had been erased or something. Not wanting to waste any more time, we entered. Upon entering, we suddenly had this awful sense of tension."

"Tension? What do you mean?" Luke asked, puzzled.

"We felt…almost like we were being followed or something. It's hard to really describe it, but we looked around, yet saw nobody behind us. The place was almost like a ghost town; it was deathly silent, and the only signs of life we saw at first were a few of the villagers watching us from their windows. Needless to say, it creeped us out. We called out to them, hoping to find out why they were hiding, but…we initially didn't get a response. We tried again, and a few moments after that, one of the villagers—an elderly Ninetales—approached us. She was rather defensive at first, but once we introduced ourselves and explained why we were there, she led us to the elder's home. The way she acted upon seeing us, and her reaction to hearing about our mission raised a few questions. We tried to get her attention, but she said nothing; she just kept on walking."

Luke was curious. "Did you guys feel like she was leading you into a trap, or maybe hiding something?"

Blaze gave the only answer he knew. "Admittedly, we were suspicious. She ignored anything we said, and I don't think she even believed us to begin with. That was part of why she chose to lead us to the village elder; she insisted we speak to him about the current…situation." He placed specific emphasis on the last part of that sentence, just as he had heard the Ninetales do.

"We made it to the elder's home, and the Ninetales, whose name we never got, just turned and left us at the elder's doorstep. The three of us just stood there for a moment, then Tide knocked on the door. An elderly voice invited us in, telling us that if we felt the need to visit that particular home, then we must be there on important business."

"We waited for whoever it was that invited us in, wondering about how to explain why we were there as we did so. Thankfully, it wasn't a long wait. The elder, who was actually the one that invited us inside, smiled at us and politely assured us that we had no need to fear him."

"Sounds like he already knew who you were and why you showed up, or something along those lines," Luke observed.

Blaze smiled and nodded. "Looking back, I think that might have been the case, but still…it took us a moment to relax. The elder—an elderly Noctowl named Takoshi—first introduced himself, then asked who we were, so we told him. He welcomed us to the village, then apologized for the somber mood that greeted us there. When he noticed the look of concern upon our faces, he mentioned that there had been a lot of Pokémon, both young and old, mysteriously disappearing in the recent weeks."

"So, by a happy accident, you ended up finding the place they had sent you," Luke happily stated.

"Yeah. We hadn't really thought much about where we were headed until he had brought all of that up. As soon as he mentioned Pokémon disappearing, it just clicked in our minds that this was it. Relieved to finally have a lead on our mission, we explained why we were there. We told him about our mission and how we ended up finding that particular village." Blaze was noticeably happier upon remembering the pleasant turn of events.

"He immediately perked up after we told him all of that. We were just as happy, because we didn't really know specifically where to look beyond the general vicinity of the mountains. He promised to aid us in any way possible in exchange for our assistance. We thanked him, and immediately requested a place to rest while we were there. That concern was addressed before we knew it; he offered to let us stay with him as long as we needed! None of us were expecting him to be that generous, but he merely dismissed our exclamations, stating that he was willing to do what was necessary to restore peace and livelihood to the village. We spent the rest of that day learning what we could about the disappearances from the rest of the villagers. There were some that didn't want to speak to us, but the ones that did gave us some highly valuable information: there were claims that a Mystery Dungeon had appeared towards the top of the mountain a few weeks prior to us arriving there, and those who went to check it out never returned."

Luke couldn't help but jitter like a child on Christmas; things were definitely starting to get interesting, even if there was nothing to do with him at this part of the story. "Why wouldn't you want to explore something like that? There could've been some unknown treasure at the bottom! Maybe the place was filled with so much stuff, that they lost track of time trying to gather it all."

Blaze laughed at his son's eagerness. "Actually…according to what we were told, it was something along those lines; as soon as the rumors surfaced, some of the villagers couldn't help themselves. Unfortunately, that was what led to the disappearances. Some went to explore the dungeon, but didn't come back. That led to others leaving for the dungeon; some left out of greed, while others only wanted to find their friends. This vicious cycle is why the village became so empty; of the ones that remained, some left out of fear that whatever was responsible for taking the others away would come to the village and capture everyone else. The ones that stayed were those who had chosen to wait for their loved ones to come back, or ones who couldn't bear to leave their home behind. The elder was in the latter group; he chose to stay because he felt it was his duty to protect the villagers. However, as the situation worsened, he had no choice but to call for help; that was when the news reached the main office here."

"However, there were at least one or two villagers that had another detail about what was happening: after a week or so of villagers leaving and not returning, Pokémon were supposedly being kidnapped overnight. We didn't disregard that entirely, but the elder doubted the claims due to lack of evidence. There was no room for error here, and we did not want to jump to conclusions without having explored the place. Some tried to talk us out of it, but we assured them that we knew what we were doing. Feeling we had plenty of background to go off of, we replenished our supplies, developed a strategy for the quest that now confronted us, and got a good night's sleep."

"The next day, we headed for the Mystery Dungeon, confident that we would resolve this whole thing. Having the support of the village was all we needed to get ourselves going. After a steep uphill climb, we had found the entrance to a cave. Upon entering, we found ourselves in total darkness. Since none of us knew Flash, we always made sure to pack a lantern for times like this. Once that was taken care of, we looked around for a hallway or something. Ryder had noticed some footprints leading to the left, so we headed left, bracing ourselves for whatever we might find."

"As we passed through the cave, we quickly realized that this was the Mystery Dungeon we had heard about. Feeling a sense of progress, we kept going. Along the way, we came across a variety of distractions: a lost backpack or something on the ground, some cave-dwelling Pokémon getting in our way, some kind of hazard, and the occasional dead end. After at least five floors down, we noticed that the cave started to look a bit different. There was grass and flowers in a few places, sunlight illuminated a few hallways on that particular floor, and it was perfectly silent; it was so peaceful there, it actually creeped us out a bit. As we passed through a few rooms close to us, the cave grew brighter and brighter; eventually, we didn't even need the lantern. Soon, we were in this vast courtyard area."

"The scene change was pretty jarring. Unfortunately, there was still more to the cave, and more to the puzzle. At first, the courtyard seemed like a dead end, but after some trial and error, we found a hole in the ground leading deeper into the cave. We jumped in, wondering what we would find below. This floor had another scene change of sorts. This time, the cave was completely dark like the first majority of the cave, but it was cold; even I started to shiver a bit, even though cold doesn't usually faze me too much. I got the lantern back out, and we pressed on against the elements. As we passed through one room after another, we started to hear voices close by. They were faint at first, but as we followed the sound, the voices grew louder. We tried calling out to them, but they didn't seem to hear us, so we just kept following the sound."

"The sound of those voices led us to a solid wall. Using our better judgment, we checked the room for a secret door or something, and our efforts rewarded us. After moving some rocks away, we found a small switch on the floor and activated it. Upon pressing the hidden switch, the wall lowered, revealing what looked like a massive playroom. The floor and walls were brightly colored, and a few modest toychests sat off to one side of the room, with their contents scattered nearby. Suddenly, we were overjoyed. We had found them! Some of the Pokémon were entertained by the collection of wooden blocks, puzzles, small cars, and whatever else caught their attention. The rest of them were either watching the ones that played, or sitting with someone. They didn't seem to be in any kind of pain, but we kept our guard up, just in case."

Luke couldn't help but utter a comment. "Sounds like a severe desire for a friend that got quickly out of hand."

Blaze agreed. "We went to each of the Pokémon to make sure they weren't hurt or anything. Some were either anxious to get home or were disappointed in the lack of valuables, but for the most part, everyone was fine. We got everyone's attention, introduced ourselves, and offered to lead them home. There were quite a few cheers of relief from the crowd, but before we could do anything, this ice-cold wind gust plowed through. We braced ourselves the best we could, but the cold pierced all three of us. To this day, Ryder still cringes upon the mere mention of that moment."

Luke laughed softly; he knew that even as a Rock-type Pokémon, Ryder was still not a fan of cold temperatures. Upon noticing the serious look on his father's face, Luke resumed his silence.

Blaze cleared his throat. "When the wind had died down, everyone was encased in ice. That worried us; whoever trapped the Pokémon in that part of the cave didn't want them to leave. We cried out, demanding whoever froze everyone to show themselves and to let the captives return home. There was an eerie silence, which was broken by a sad and desperate voice saying, 'These Pokémon are my friends. I will never let them leave!' We calmly tried to reason with the mystery speaker—a young woman. At first, we were ignored, but then she appeared in front of us in a frigid gust of wind."

"We were startled by her sudden appearance, but quickly got a grip on our senses once we got a clear look at her. At that point, everything started to come together; piece by piece, everything we had seen, heard, and experienced had begun to make sense. This young woman—a lone Froslass—was responsible for the chaos back in the village; she had lured them down there to keep herself company, and had no desire to see them leave, just as you had said before. We asked her why she didn't want them to leave. At first, she didn't want to tell us; she merely repeated, 'They are my friends!' From the way they acted before, it seemed that some did think of her as a friend, while some felt like her prisoners, or simply didn't care about her."

"In an effort to lighten the atmosphere, we decided to introduce ourselves, taking a moment to assure her that we meant no harm. We also let her know that we understood that she meant no harm to the others, having seen the children playing and happily chatting with one another. She calmed down and smiled at us. She turned and waved to the frozen wasteland in front of her, and it was gone as quickly as it came. After thawing the room out, she smiled as the children resumed their games, and turned back to us. Finally trusting us, she introduced herself, and gave an explanation for luring all those Pokémon there."

"The Froslass, Yuki, had come to the mountains after she was driven from her old home. She didn't delve into why she was sent away, though she did say that she was forbidden from ever returning. Heartbroken and alone, she found that cave, and chose to make it her home, having admired the scenery and the livelihood that it provided. She made an effort to befriend the Pokémon living in the cave, but they ignored her, partly because of her being a Ghost-type. They get a bad reputation, but they're not all as bad as they seem. Anyway, she was determined to make some friends, yet she didn't want to leave the cave. That was when she converted the cave into a Mystery Dungeon, and made its presence known. Many of the potential explorers thought they would find great wealth, and instead they found that playroom. There were some that turned their nose up at it, but there were plenty who were quite satisfied with what they found, specifically the children who desired adventure or the elderly Pokémon who had missed their younger days. It was at this point, that she chose to keep them there whether they liked it or not; as she expected, some of her visitors were happy to stay as long as they were having fun. She wasn't lonely anymore, but at the same time, she hadn't realized the panic she caused."

"A few of the children overheard our conversation, and quickly ran over to comfort her. It was really touching seeing that. She just broke down after we told her about the sad state the village had fallen into, primarily out of regret, and the children were the ones trying to calm her down. They had thanked her for her kindness and also thanked her for all the times she played with them. What was sad was that the children wanted to keep playing, but they also wanted to go home; they were certain that they couldn't have both, and were torn between the two options. Tide went over to play with the children who were still gathered around the toychests, while Ryder and I tried to calm the ones who had walked over to comfort their friend." Tears slowly formed in Luke's eyes as he pictured that heartwarming scene; it reminded him of those times when his father had helped him relax after a bad dream or something.

Blaze put a comforting arm around his son and pulled him close, mimicking the gesture he had received only moments ago, calming him instantly. "I remember Ryder and I were on the verge of tears ourselves. We knew they had to go home, but even with all of our experience, we were suddenly unsure of what to do. Suddenly, Tide came back over and suggested having Yuki return to the village with the others. A few of the older Pokémon protested, while a few voiced their approval. This made Yuki and the children pretty happy; Yuki was actually crying because of how grateful she was. When all of that was settled, we made the proper arrangements for getting everyone, including Yuki, home. Since we had a really large group of Pokémon to manage, we decided to use the power of our Rescue Badges to warp everyone out of the dungeon and walk back from the entrance."

"So the mission was essentially completed, then," Luke mused. "All that remained was getting everyone back to that village, and then returning here."

Blaze nodded. "Yes. At that moment, that was all we had left to do, but as far as my team was concerned, we had fulfilled the mission. However, before we were able to get our badges ready, someone had heard a faint cry close by."

Luke smiled; this was the part of the story he was anxious to hear. Seeing the bright look in his son's eyes, Blaze shifted and cleared his throat.

"That's right; just as I mentioned before, this is the part where everything starts to come together."


	4. Chapter 4 -- All Coming Together

Luke moved to the center of the bed, then turned to face his father. Once he was comfortable, he fell silent; he did not want to interrupt his father now that he had reached this part of the story. His gaze now held a hint of nervousness mixed with a sense of deep curiosity. No words needed to be said; Blaze knew his son was ready to hear the truth.

"There aren't really many painful memories here, but I still ask that you bear with me; this is still a pretty emotion-filled memory. The cry that now filled the room came from the back part of the room. Specifically, it came from a basket that had been placed there. A few of the kids ran over to check it out, and as soon as they saw what—or rather, who—was in the basket, they called us over. Lying in the basket was an infant Riolu—_you_."

"Yuki assured us that she had nothing to do with the basket being there. She didn't carry it there, and none of the other Pokémon had brought it with them. Of the Pokémon that could answer, none of them knew anything about you; not even Yuki. We called out and looked around the room, hoping to find at least a single Lucario. All that greeted us was the echo of our voices."

"Now, we were ready to leave the cave. Just as we were glad to have that mission behind us, we were also happy to have you along, even if it would have only been for a short time. If I recall correctly, Tide made the statement, 'Where one mission ends, another begins. That is the life of a rescue team.' While the statement was mostly directed at the children, it holds true for life in general. Having that bit of philosophy in hand, and having everyone and everything we needed, we left. It took a little while, but he had made it back to the village."

"Upon our return, the village was in an excited uproar as friends and family were reunited. Takoshi appeared as the crowd dispersed, and once everyone had returned to their homes, he flew over to greet us. Naturally, he was overjoyed to see their safe return. He thanked us for our hard work, then invited us all inside his home. That was when we told him about the dungeon, and what we saw inside. Once we had given our account of the experience, we gave Yuki a chance to speak."

"She was hesitant at first, but a calm smile from Takoshi eased her fears. First, she introduced herself, then she told him the same story she had told us; being driven from her home, and choosing to settle down in the mountains. After she had finished, Takoshi welcomed her to the village, offered some kind words of wisdom, and granted her permission to live there as long as she wished. She happily thanked him for his kindness, and immediately set out to meet the rest of the villagers."

"After Yuki had left, Takoshi noticed the basket. At this moment, Tide was the one holding it. He walked over, and peered inside; you had fallen asleep on the way back from the cave. We told him about how we found you there with no one who even knew who you were. He lamented how someone could do something as despicable as abandoning their own child, and confidently proclaimed his faith that we would find your family. We thanked him for his kind remark, and also told him that if the village ever fell into distress, he could contact us; he was glad to hear that."

"After everything had been resolved, Takoshi happy declared that he would hold a victory celebration in our honor. We were more than happy to accept after everything we had endured. He allowed us some time to rest ourselves while he left to prepare everyone for the party. Fast forward to that evening, and talk about a celebration! When it comes to festivities, they don't hold back. Yuki had fit right in, and she was thoroughly enjoying herself. The food was great, everything was peaceful, and everyone was laughing and having fun. It was one of those moments you just don't want to leave behind, so we made sure to make the most out of it."

"The next morning, we gathered our things, had a quick breakfast, and began our journey home amidst cheerful farewells and numerous pleas for us to come and visit. Having made so many friends, we made it a personal requirement to visit them whenever we got the chance. The trip back home was tremendously easier; we were in high spirits, and we also knew where we were going this time. Having you with us made things a bit better, I think. Most of the time, you slept, but when you were awake, you made sure we knew about it. It was crazy, but it was good to liven things up. By the time we made it back here, we had gotten used to having you with us."

"However, even though we had started to become attached to you, we had responsibilities to tend to. The first thing we made sure to do was to inform the main office that the mission was a success. We gave them the important details, ending with how we had found you."

Suddenly, he went off on an angry tangent. "Leaving a child to fend for itself is bad enough, but to place an infant into a basket and then leave that basket behind in a cave… And not just any old cave—a Mystery Dungeon of all things! It's nothing short of a crime!" Blaze clenched his fists, which had now burst into flames, and was breathing heavily. He had become so enraged by his own thoughts, that Luke had jumped off of the bed in a state of panic.

After noticing how badly he was shaking and feeling the red and orange fire on his arms, Blaze closed his eyes, and took several deep breaths. Once he had fully calmed himself, he uttered a quick apology before continuing his story. "I'm really sorry about that… About losing my temper, I mean. I didn't mean to scare you. It's just… The thought of a parent abandoning their own child is one of the very few things that gets me that fired up." Once Luke was sure that this sudden fit of rage had passed, he reclaimed his seat next to his father.

"Anyway, the search for your family was now top priority; multiple rescue teams had agreed to look for them. The only thing then was to get someone to look after you until then. Since I had the experience of raising kids, I volunteered to look after you until your family was found. Tide and Ryder both had their concerns, but I assured them that I could handle it, making sure to remind them of your brother and sister. I also felt a personal…sense of responsibility, I guess, though I didn't say anything about that. Seeing that my mind was made up, those two, as well as a few others, offered to help me should I need it; I was grateful for the support."

"A few months had passed, and we still had no word about your family. By this point, some of the teams searching for them had given up. Honestly, I didn't see any point in continuing the search either. There were other Pokémon who needed our help; more important affairs we had to attend to, as heartless as that sounds. I ended up putting in a personal request to have the search efforts called off. When asked why, I simply described the situation as I saw it: for whatever reason, you were left in that cave, and never given another thought. Had your family cared about you, we would have heard from them by that point. That, of course, brought up the concern of who would raise you, if your family really was nowhere to be seen. I instantly volunteered for that, since I had already been taking care of you. After that, nobody said much about it, aside from offering to help or complementing my kind nature."

"The sad thing about the situation was that shortly after I had adopted you, I found a note in the bottom of the basket you were in. In that note, the writer gave your name and requested that whoever found you protect you and treat you with love and kindness. There was no explanation for why you were left behind, and there was no signature, so I had no idea who wrote it. I just knew that the note confirmed the one thing that I had already feared; they had given you up for some unknown reason. I had to read it multiple times to make sure I wasn't losing my mind or something, and when I was done, I put the note in a safe place, and made a promise to you and to the writer of the note that I would always love and protect you, no matter what. Then, a short time later, I invited your brother and sister over here so they could meet you, and the rest is history."

Luke sat on the bed, still speechless, and now on the verge of tears. He was greatly heartbroken upon learning that he had been abandoned by his own family, but he felt a deep sense of pride and gratitude toward Blaze for everything he had done for him. He was happy beyond words toward being able to call Blaze his father, having been given the love and kindness he was promised so many years ago. Blaze noticed his son's sadness, and pulled him close, enveloping him in a gentle and protective embrace, just as he had done many times before. He silently reassured his son that he would always be there whenever he needed a friend, and Luke began to weep freely, tearfully thanking his father for all he had done for him over the years, from the sacrifices he made to the promises he kept. When he was unable to shed anymore tears, Luke fell silent again.

After a few moments of silence, Luke was finally calm. The information he had just gained weighed heavily on his heart, but knowing that he had his father there to help gave him the courage and the strength necessary to face the dark truth he had just learned. While he already knew about his adoption, as he mentioned before, knowing the exact circumstances under which it happened now plagued his mind with questions he may never be able to find the answers to.

Once the two were fully calm, Blaze broke the silence. "Now that that's out of the way, why don't we move on to something else?"

"Alright," Luke replied, "What do you have in mind?"

"That thing you mentioned earlier: that certain something I initially wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh… That…" Luke was suddenly filled with mixed emotions toward his father's suggestion.


	5. Chapter 5 -- Ready to Depart?

Luke knew what his father was talking about. He stood up, stretched a bit, then sat back down on the bed. Had they started their discussion with that topic, he would have probably felt a bit better about it, but there was nothing that could be done about that now. He nudged the backpack with his leg, looked at his father, and said, "You want to talk to me about why I have all of this stuff packed, right?"

Blaze nodded. "Yes. I'm happy to see that you're interested in this. Your eagerness is commendable, actually; it reminds of when I started. Some Pokémon believe eagerness can be rather helpful. The main point I want to get across, since you mentioned wanting to accept your first mission, is to take things one step at a time."

Luke gave his father a sideways glance.

Having noticed his son's confusion, Blaze clarified his prior statement. "What I mean by taking things one step at a time is that you need to plan everything ahead of time. When you rush into something, you run the risk of making mistakes. It doesn't matter what you're getting into; rushing often leads to some undesirable consequences. Part of this planning process is taking care of a few miscellaneous, but highly important, tasks that must be done before you can officially become a rescuer. Gathering those supplies," he indicated the pack, "is just one step in that process."

"Also, don't forget the training I've been through," Luke added.

Blaze nodded. "It's true; training is essential, but that, too, is just one part of the planning process. There are a number of other factors besides training or making sure you've got adequate supplies. There are a number of business matters to tend to first, such as deciding who your teammates will be—"

"After what I've been through for the past eight years, I don't really need anyone helping me. Thanks to the training I've endured, I'll be fine on my own," Luke interrupted.

"Son…" Blaze began, suddenly struggling to keep his voice level. "That kind of thinking is only going to get you hurt. It doesn't matter how much training you've had, or who it was from; it is imperative that you have a team supporting you. If you accept a mission, and go into a Mystery Dungeon alone, and you get hurt or something, who'll cover for you? With a team backing you, you don't have to worry about that; each member of a team counters whatever weaknesses the others may have, whether it's in battle or against some sort of obstacle or hazard. You are an arrogant fool if you think you can stand a chance on your own!"

Annoyed at his father's sudden lecture and the supposed lack of faith contained within, Luke persisted. "Dad, you worry too much. I'll be fine. I may only be thirteen years old, and I may have had _only_ eight years of training, but trust me—_I can take care of myself_!"

Blaze snapped, now visibly frustrated at his son's stubbornness. "With that kind pig-headed attitude, you will _NEVER_ become a rescuer!"

Suddenly hurt by that remark, Luke protested further. "You think you know everything, don't you?! What happened to that promise that you made back then? The promise that I could be a rescuer if I trained myself? I made the decision to do this because of the stories I had heard about you. I dreamed of becoming a hero like you, and you told me that anything was possible! What happened to always keeping your word, huh? You're nothing but a lying hypocrite!" Now feeling a mix of anger, sadness, and betrayal, Luke forcefully shoved his father aside, and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Having frantically made his way back to the main lobby, Luke kept running. His father's teammates, Tide the Feraligatr and Ryder the Tyranitar, saw him coming. When they noticed his sadness, the two made an attempt to ask what was bothering him. He merely pushed them aside, and kept running, not paying attention to those around him, until he was outside.

A brief moment later, Blaze showed up in the lobby. His friends looked at him with concern as his son left the building.

"What's up with him?" Tide asked.

"It's a bit of a long story," Blaze warned, "but making it short, we got into an argument about him beginning his career as a rescuer. I pointed out a few things that he needed to do before starting—or rather, I _tried_ to… As soon as I mentioned choosing his teammates…he began insisting that he didn't need a team backing him, saying that his training would be enough."

Ryder was the one to speak up this time. "The kid certainly takes after you, but to want to go it alone… That's just insane! I don't blame you for being upset about that."

"It was more than me just being upset with him for that," Blaze explained. "I called him out on his arrogance, and tried to explain the importance of having a team there to support him. He insisted on going alone. He feels he can take care of himself. After that, I lost my temper. I was annoyed by the sudden stubbornness, and said some things that I shouldn't have. He responded accordingly; he mentioned some things I had said to him years ago—some promises I had made—and dismissed them as a string of lies. After that, he pushed me aside, and ran off."

Tide and Ryder could both see how shaken Blaze was by what had happened only moments ago; he had tried to help his son get a head start as a rescuer, but things took an unfortunate turn for the worse. Neither of them could really think of anything to say at that moment, so Ryder just gave his friend a hug to help him feel better.

A short moment later, Blaze had calmed slightly. "Thanks, Ryder. I needed that. I just can't help but feel guilty about this, but I'm glad you guys were at least able to listen."

"No problem," Ryder said happily.

"Likewise," was Tide's response.

"You know…" Blaze pondered. "Now that I think about it, maybe it's better if he has some time to himself. It'll give him a chance to calm down and let off some steam."

"I don't know…" Ryder sighed.

"Yeah. It's impossible to really know what kind of trouble someone could get themselves into being in that sort of emotional state," Tide observed.

"What harm could it possibly do?" Blaze asked.


	6. Chapter 6 -- An Unexpected Meeting

"What does that old fool know anyway?!" Luke shouted to the sky. He had stopped running, but he hadn't stopped crying. Amidst the heartache he was still feeling, he continued down the dirt road he had found. Though fatigue was starting to set in, the anger he felt kept him going. Upon noticing the thick forest nearby, he made his way through the trees. A sting of realization had hit him upon entering; this was the same path his father had told him about earlier. He shook his head to focus on the trees ahead of him. He continued deeper and deeper into the forest, until he noticed a cave.

Feeling this would be a perfect opportunity to prove he was ready, and also anxious to clear his mind of everything his father had said just moments ago, he entered. The cave was completely dark, except for the faint glow of the sun behind him. He stepped little by little, curious to know what secrets the dark cavern held. As he grew accustomed to the darkness surrounding him, his pace quickened. Upon heading down a small tunnel close to him, the faint glow of the sun had disappeared, and he was now in true darkness.

He panicked at the sudden contrast, but pushed himself ahead, anxious to discover something different. He wondered if the cave held any sort of valuables or hidden chambers; the mere thought excited him. After wandering through the caves for a while, the fatigue he began to feel earlier was becoming too great to ignore. He surveyed the area the best he could, and noticed the faint glow of a small lake. Feeling a small bit of relief toward this pleasant discovery, he stopped by the lake.

After taking a quick drink of the cool water, he sat down by some small rocks and leaned back slightly. _It's not as comfortable as I was hoping_, he realized, but he made sure to take advantage of it while he could. He closed his eyes, and his father's words from before played through his mind. He shuddered; he was trying to forget about all of that. He was determined to prove himself, one way or another.

"I'm no fool, and I'm not as weak as he thinks I am. I _will_ show him that he's wrong about me! I'll be stronger than he could ever hope to be!" Luke declared. The echo of his own voice made him feel uneasy, but at the same time, it filled him with a great sense of vigor. After making this personal vow, he stood up and walked to the edge of the lake. Upon seeing his reflection, Luke had a new-found sense of pride. He stared at the water's surface, completely lost in his own dreams and desires.

While he stood there, he had heard what sounded a bit like footsteps, but paid little attention to it. He continued his gaze upon the lake, but was yet again interrupted by the odd sound nearby. He scanned his surroundings, unsure of where the sound was coming from, but ready for a fight.

"Whoever is out there, either show yourself or get lost!" Luke called out. There was a brief silence, then the footsteps resumed. Moment by moment, they steadily increased in volume; whoever they belonged to was close, and they were getting closer with each passing second. As the Pokémon made their way to the lake, their features became more and more noticeable, until finally, Luke and the stranger were standing face to face. Luke stood frozen in place as the Pokémon—an Aggron—towered above him. He felt a tinge of regret and fear toward his prior remarks; this Pokémon could destroy him if given the chance, so a battle was out of the question.

At first, it felt as though time stood still, but the silence was abruptly shattered by the Aggron. "Don't worry, young man; I'm not here to cause you any trouble." Luke was surprised by his calm tone, but he still kept his guard up. "I've never seen you here before, so I just wanted to make sure you were alright, especially after that stuff you said a little bit ago."

"So you've been spying on me?" Luke asked, annoyed.

"Yeah, if that's how you want to put it," the stranger replied. He seemed a bit hurt by Luke's harsh accusation, but at the same time, he felt it was better to be honest about something like this; he was also hoping to avoid a fight.

"Then tell me something: Who are you and why are you following me?" Luke demanded.

"Very well," the Aggron replied. "My name is Jeran. As far as why I've been 'following' you, as you put it… I have only been watching you for a brief moment. I was merely passing through this particular section of the cave when I heard you shouting. I was concerned so I thought I'd keep an eye on you, just in case."

"Just in case of what, exactly?" Luke wondered.

"I wasn't sure if you were losing your mind or something. I wanted to make sure you weren't going to hurt yourself or something of that nature. But alas, you heard my footsteps, and my presence was no longer a secret. As you requested, I have shown myself, and I have answered your questions truthfully." Jeran calmly kept his gaze upon Luke, which seemed to make the young Lucario feel a bit nervous; he still didn't trust this stranger.

"I can't help but ask," Luke began, quietly at first, "but what exactly are you implying? You were worried I'd hurt myself? I'm…not like that."

"Of course not," Jeran calmly replied. "It's just that you seemed frustrated at someone. I'd even venture to guess that you were a bit upset by them."

Luke took a few small steps back, eying Jeran warily. "As much as it isn't of any  
concern to you… Your guess would be correct. There is someone I am angry at; someone who upset me. However, it doesn't concern you, just as I said before, so why don't you go bother someone else?"

Jeran sadly shook his head; this someone must have done something pretty harsh to make this boy act like this. However, he was no quitter; as much as Luke had desired to be alone, Jeran was just as intent on helping the young Lucario cheer up.

"Young man," he began, before giving a soft sigh, "I can see that you're upset, and I'm sure you would much rather be alone right now. In times like this, talking to someone can often help you relax. They can share your sadness; this tends to work better if the one you're speaking to can personally relate you your situation, typically from personal experience."

Luke turned to face the darkness past the lake. "Jeran… What makes you think you can help me? You don't even know me, so how could you possibly know what I'm feeling right now? And how do I know you're not trying to fool me?"

Jeran calmly stepped forward. "Luke, trust me on this… I've experienced a lot in my life: heartache, disappointment, frustration, and so much more; honestly, I think a better question would probably be of what I _haven't_ experienced. And I can sincerely promise you that I have no intention of fooling you or anything of that nature. And considering that I've only just met you, I'd like to make a good first impression. Beyond that, however… I think you'd be surprised at how helpful I can be. Just trust me; that's all I ask."

Luke was still hesitant; he didn't know how to respond to what he had just heard, yet he felt obligated to give Jeran a chance. After a long silence, he turned to face Jeran, and cleared his throat before speaking again.

"I guess if you really think you can help me…I'll trust you. I just hope I'm not making a decision I'll regret later."

Jeran laughed. "Hey, lighten up. Just as I said before, I would never try to trick you; I'm not that kind of guy."

Luke managed a smile, which elicited a reaction out of the now-cheerful Aggron. "That's more like it. Smile; it is only a part of this recovery of the heart, but it is still important." After those remarks, Jeran sat down by the lake and peered into the water's mirror-like surface.

"Luke, come sit by me," he invited.

After doing as he was asked, Luke also peered into the lake's reflective surface. He sat quietly, entranced by his own reflection and consumed by his own thoughts. A light tap on the shoulder from Jeran was all it took to snap him out of the meditative state he was in. Luke faced him silently; even though this visitor looked intimidating, he really wasn't too bad.

"You know," Jeran mused, "you remind me of myself, to a point."

"What exactly do you mean?" Luke asked.

"I sometimes let things get to me, and there were plenty of times when I didn't want to be bothered." Jeran smiled. "Like I said before, you'd be surprised about how well I could possibly relate to how you're feeling now."

Luke thought about Jeran's words for a while, then felt strangely comfortable; a sort of instinctive feeling made him realize that he needn't be so withdrawn and that Jeran could be trusted.

"All right, then," Luke said calmly.

Jeran nodded. "So… What was it that got you so upset that you would run to a place like this?"

Luke sighed bravely as he prepared to describe the conversation he had with Blaze earlier that day.


	7. Chapter 7 -- A Desperate Search

Blaze paced back and forth around the main hall; he was still upset about earlier. He had only intended to help, but things got out of control. As hurt as he was for the mean things he said to his son, he still thought it would be best if he were alone. However, he was starting to worry; Luke had been gone for a while now. He decided to step outside to clear his mind and watch for his son to return.

As Blaze approached the door, Tide called over to him. Hearing his friend's voice, Blaze turned around. "Hey, Tide. Something up?"

"Yeah, I was concerned about Luke," Tide responded as he walked over.

"I'm worried about him, too," Blaze said sadly. "I was just heading outside to see if he shows up. Also, I just need to clear my head a bit."

"Is it alright if I join you?" Tide asked.

"Sure," Blaze softly replied.

With that, the two stepped outside. Standing near the front door, they restlessly eyed the area. This eerie silence lasted for a while before finally being broken by Tide.

"You really think he's alright?" the concerned Feraligatr asked.

Blaze thought a moment before answering. "Suddenly, I'm not too sure. I know I upset him, but I figured he'd come back by now."

"Hey, don't worry. He'll be back," Tide said reassuringly.

"I certainly hope so," Blaze sadly replied.

The two watched the clouds drift through the sky. Though things were peaceful, Blaze was all but relaxed, having feared that his son was in some great danger. After silently gazing at the clouds for what felt like hours, Blaze could no longer wait. Without a word, he went back inside, followed by his friend.

"Blaze! What's wrong now? Where are you going?" Tide asked as he followed.

"I'm going to go bring my son back," Blaze answered coolly. "I want you to stay here in case he comes back before I do."

Tide silently nodded, indicating that he understood his friend's request. Satisfied with Tide's understanding, Blaze turned and walked away. He knew it would be wise to pack a few things in case of an emergency, so he returned to Luke's bedroom and grabbed the backpack he had filled that morning. Upon shouldering the pack, Blaze was filled with a familiar sense of anxiety; this was the same emotion he felt whenever he prepared for a mission so many times in the past. Making a mental note about something, he left the room.

Back in the main hall, Tide paced back and forth; just as he worried about what Luke could've gotten himself into, he also worried that Blaze would end up doing something reckless. After a few moments had passed, Blaze returned.

"Be careful out there," Tide said calmly.

Blaze nodded, and left without saying a word. Once outside, he looked both left and right; though he wasn't sure which way Luke went, he had a feeling that his son was close. He chose to start searching to the right; if nothing else, the familiar path would help clear his mind. Blaze walked purposefully; he kept a careful watch on his surroundings, hoping to find anything that would lead him to his son.

As he followed the dirt road, Blaze's anxiety grew; he wanted to find Luke as soon as possible, and more than anything, he had wanted to apologize for the remarks he made earlier. He eyed the path carefully for any sign that his son had ran through there. At first, he found nothing. Suddenly, he noticed some trees that had a few broken branches. His hope restored, Blaze followed the path of maimed trees. Though it initially seemed to lead into an endless maze, this search in the forest had actually yielded another clue: a trail of footprints. Recognizing them to be Luke's footprints, Blaze progressed along the path his son had taken moments before.

After following Luke's trail for a while, Blaze stopped at the entrance of a cave. He noticed that the footprints, though faded, continued into the dark cavern. Anxious to find his son and make things right between the two of them, Blaze stepped inside.

Blaze wanted to keep following Luke's tracks, but the darkness had made that difficult. Fortunately, the faint glow of the sunlight behind him provided just enough light for Blaze to identify his desired path. Along the way, he made sure to get a good look at his surroundings; he knew how easy it was for someone to lose their way, and he didn't want that happening to him. As he continued following the faint trail, the darkness increased.

He found himself in another hallway, and suddenly, he was engulfed in darkness. Amidst the darkness, Blaze focused his mind, and pressed on. He initially tried to use his keen sense of sight to find his son's trail, but was unsuccessful due to the blackness around him; in his despair, Blaze now wished he had a lantern. Since he couldn't see anything around him, Blaze began calling his son's name, making sure to stay next to the wall so he wouldn't get turned around. Blaze's voice pierced the silence, but received no response; however, he had no intention of turning back now. Feeling optimistic amidst the dark silence, Blaze pressed on, determined to find his son and get home. _Not much longer now_, he thought.

As he progressed, Blaze noticed a faint glow nearby. While it wasn't much, it was certainly welcome, and it was just enough to allow Blaze to catch a glimpse of Luke's tracks again. The trail led into a vast cesspool-like area; Blaze took note of the glowing rocks surrounding him, as well as the sound of water close by, and carefully trekked on, his spirits lifted by the positive turn his search had taken. Having plenty of light guiding him now, Blaze continued along his son's trail, calling Luke's name every so often and keeping a careful watch of his surroundings while doing so.

A few moments later, Blaze began hearing some voices in the distance, immediately directing himself toward them. Though the voices were faint, Blaze was able to discern two different voices: Luke's voice and a stranger's voice. He was relieved to hear his son, yet wondered who he could be talking to, ultimately concluding that Luke had likely met with someone who either lived in the area, or just happened to be passing through.

It wasn't too much longer when he found his son and the stranger he heard before seated by the edge of an underground lake. He stopped and sat down by some rocks close by so he could listen to what the two were saying. Now that their conversation was clearly audible, Blaze listened intently; he could tell Luke was still upset about the argument the two had earlier, remembering some of the things they had said to one another. Luke talked about all the time and effort he put into pursuing his dream of being a rescuer and described how betrayed he felt when Blaze had told him he wasn't truly ready. Occasionally, the other Pokémon would describe some similar moments that he had experienced, and offer some advice on handling the situation better.

After he had heard enough of the conversation, Blaze nervously approached the lake. Luke, sensing his father's presence, immediately stood up and faced him.


	8. Chapter 8 -- Making Things Right

The two faced one another without saying a word; Blaze was relieved to see that his son was unharmed, while Luke seemed furious toward what he regarded as his father's sudden intrusion. Blaze, sensing this, thought about what he said earlier that day, and took a deep breath in an effort to calm his nerves. Amid the heavy silence that filled the cave, Jeran stood up and calmly approached the two, smiled at them, then returned to the edge of the lake and peered into its reflective surface.

Luke looked back at Jeran for a moment, then faced his father again. After a quick sigh, he shattered the silent atmosphere that surrounded them.

"Exactly what do you think you're doing here?" Luke demanded.

"I came here to find you…and apologize for what I said before," Blaze replied.

"How did you even find me?" Luke asked.

"I just followed your trail. You left quite a mess in the forest," Blaze answered.

Luke shook his head. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm just fine where I am now. I didn't need you to come and get me, and I don't want any more of your false promises or your so-called 'apologies,' so you can just save your breath and go back to the agency. I don't need you or anyone else holding me back, so just leave me alone."

Blaze couldn't believe what he was hearing; his own son was basically telling him, 'I can take care of myself, so have a nice life!' Tears began forming in his eyes as he managed a response. "Son… You have no idea how scared you had me. I waited for you to come back, but I just… My heart couldn't take it anymore, so I decided to come and find you. I initially thought that it would be better for you to be alone for a bit to let off some steam, and I had planned on speaking to you when you got back, but I just couldn't wait anymore. I have so much I need to say to you, and I also wanted to get you back home before night came."

By the time he had finished, Blaze was now crying softly. Meanwhile, Luke remained silent as he stared at his father.

Through his tears, Blaze uttered the apology he felt his son deserved. "Luke, I am truly sorry I said all of those hurtful things to you. I'm sorry I lost my temper like that. I was wrong about what I said in regards to you following your dream. I'm not trying to hold you back; I'm only trying to help you. I don't want you getting yourself injured or something over a rookie mistake or a case of recklessness. I've seen the consequences of rushing into a mission before, and they're not pretty. I love you too much to let you get yourself killed over something stupid. So, please…forgive me for what happened earlier."

Blaze continued to weep while he waited for Luke to respond; this wasn't a long wait.

"I appreciate the effort and the concern," Luke began, "but please… Spare me the theatrics. It's nice of you to admit that you made a mistake, but it's a bit late for that. You say you're only trying to help me, yet you insisted that I wasn't ready to take on a mission. Your logic makes absolutely no sense. You expect me to forgive you…just like that? No thanks. What's done is done; you can't take back the things you said to me earlier, no matter how much you try to apologize." He turned his back to Blaze. "I have nothing more to say to you, so just…get lost already."

"Young man, I'm sorry for cutting in," Jeran began as he turned to approach Luke, "but after hearing what you just said, I think _you're_ the one who needs to grow up."

"Excuse me?" Luke responded.

"You heard me," Jeran said sternly, now standing directly in front of Luke with his arms crossed and a sharp gaze upon his face.

"Why were you eavesdropping on us?" Luke demanded. "This matter doesn't even concern you!"

"If it doesn't concern me," Jeran began, "then why did you describe it to me with such detail?"

"Because you insisted," Luke answered. "You said talking about it would help me feel better, and you also mentioned that you could somehow help me."

Jeran nodded, and calmly told Luke, "So you have no reason to complain about me overhearing your conversation."

Jeran looked over at Blaze, then returned his gaze to Luke. "Your father just told you how much he cares about you. He wants you to follow your dream, but he also wants you to be adequately prepared for the journey to reach that dream. Take a good look at him; think about what he said, and why he weeps so openly. If he didn't care about you, do you think he would've come here to get you?"

"No," Luke quietly replied.

"And do you think he would've said the things he did?" Jeran continued.

"No," Luke answered.

"Exactly," Jeran calmly responded. "So don't you think you should listen to what he has to say? Trust me, I know how hard it is to have someone point out your flaws, but in the end, it only makes you stronger."

Luke nodded and faced his father, ready to accept the heartfelt words from before. He was still upset, but the small pep talk from his new-found friend encouraged him to give his father the second chance he desired.

As Luke started to speak, tears formed in his eyes. "Dad…"

Luke's voice trailed off at first; he struggled to remain calm, but quickly found himself fighting an unwinnable war. Eager to put the petty dispute with his father behind him, Luke took the first step in doing just that. He took a deep breath, then embraced his father, and began to weep freely.

"Dad… I'm sorry," he began. "Jeran's right… You're right… That whole mess earlier was just a big misunderstanding. You were only trying to help me get started on my journey, and I let my ego cloud my judgment. I really am nothing more than a stubborn fool! I was getting way ahead of myself. I'm sorry I said all of those horrible things to you before. I don't want you to disappear, and I certainly don't want to be alone."

Luke stopped speaking in order to catch his breath and organize his thoughts. This brief pause felt like an eternity, even though it was only a matter of minutes.

As the tears flowed from his eyes, Luke continued, knowing exactly what he wanted to say. "I'm extremely grateful for your help and your advice, and I'm willing to listen to what you have to say from now on. I'm really happy—and lucky—to have someone like you supporting me. I don't expect you to forgive me for that stuff I said before… But even so, I forgive you…for everything that happened this morning. You were only trying to wake me up, but I just threw all of that concern right back at you, thinking that I would be fine on my own. Thank you so much for not giving up on me. I accept your apology, and I'm willing to give you a second chance. I love you, dad…"

Once Luke had said everything that was on his mind, he silently continued to cry; his heart now carried a different mix of emotions: a deep sense of love, pride, respect, and gratitude toward his father; a wave of regret for the pain his harsh words had caused; and a great sense of relief in knowing that his father was behind him, no matter what happened.

As Blaze held his son close, he looked back at Jeran, his fear and sadness now eased.

"Hey," Blaze called out to his son's new friend.

The two took a moment to get properly introduced.

"Jeran… Thank you for helping my son," Blaze said, smiling. "I felt terrible about what happened, and I needed him to understand that I meant no harm. Thank you for helping him understand that. I love Luke very much, and I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost him."

Jeran happily responded, "It's no trouble at all. As I told Luke before, I can understand how he felt because I've had a few experiences like that myself. I can also understand how you felt because I have my own family to take care of, and I do whatever I can in order to keep them safe. I could tell he was shaken up about something when I first heard him shouting and when I finally approached him, so I just wanted to help him feel better. Once he explained the situation to me, I insisted that he at least give you a chance to clarify the comments that you made, and I also shared some of my own experiences with him. I wanted him to understand that anyone can end up in some kind of petty feud like the one you two had—even family or close friends."

Blaze, relieved to have everything under control, returned his attention to his son.

"Luke," he calmly began, "Thank you… Thank you for understanding that I wasn't trying to be hurtful. Thank you for giving me another chance. I'm sorry I lost my temper earlier; I promise I'll never raise my voice to you like that again. I'm just so happy and so relieved that you're safe, son."

By the time Blaze had finished, Luke was calm. He took a step back, and smiled at his father.

"Thanks, dad," Luke replied. "That really means a lot to me. But you know… I'm just as guilty as you are when it comes to keeping my voice level." He managed a heavy sigh. "When you told me I wasn't quite ready, it struck a nerve, and I just lost it from there, so it's really my fault you lost your temper. I apologize for that. Also, I'm sorry I shoved you, and I'm sorry I ran away. It was incredibly immature of me to act like that. A rescuer isn't supposed to behave in such a childish manner. I guess I'm not as ready as I thought…"

Blaze pulled his son close again, and softly responded, "Don't worry about it, son. I'm not mad at you for what you did; you were angry and upset at me for what I said to you. Sure, your behavior can be considered immature, but everyone acts a bit childish at times…even adults." Luke couldn't help but laugh at that statement. "What do you say we get out of this cave, head home, and get some rest? This has been a long day, and we could both use a bit of a break."

Luke stepped back and smiled at his father. "Sounds like a plan," he happily replied.

"Hey, Luke," Jeran said, calmly.

The young Lucario turned and smiled at his friend.

"Yeah," Luke replied, feeling much better after the discussion he had with him and his father.

Jeran happily stated, "Before you head out, I have a bit of a proposition for you."

"Really? Like what?" Luke asked.

Jeran answered, "If you ever have any free time on your hands, you're more than welcome to come back and visit me. I know this cave isn't much to look at, but I'm always here in case you have something on your mind; I'm always willing to listen. I could even introduce you to my family or help you train a bit, if you're up for it."

"Thank you. I'll be sure to remember that," Luke happily replied.

Jeran smiled, nodded, and shifted his gaze, then continued. "Blaze, you're welcome to visit as well. I get the feeling I can learn a lot from you—not just family advice, but how life has been for you, among other things."

Blaze smiled and nodded, replying, "Seems like a fine idea."

Jeran cleared his throat, and told them, "In any case, I don't get visitors often, so feel free to stop by—even if it's just to socialize a bit."

Blaze spoke again. "Thanks again for your help, Jeran. We'll be sure to visit you, but I can't make any promises on how often either of us will be able to stop by."

"That's fine," Jeran responded.

After everything had been addressed, Luke stepped forward and gave his new friend Jeran a quick hug.

"Thanks for talking some sense into me, Jeran," Luke whispered.

After pulling Luke closer, Jeran responded, "Any time, kid; don't ever forget that. If there is ever anything troubling you, I'm here to help, just as I said before, but don't forget that you have your father to turn to as well. He should be the first one you go to if you need someone to talk to; at the very least, you will always have your family backing you, so be kind to them. Beyond that, don't forget to take care of yourself. Luke, promise me that you'll always stick by your father no matter what; that you'll heed whatever advice he gives you; that you won't be afraid to ask for help, and most importantly, promise me that you'll give him the kindness and respect you wish to receive from others."

"I promise," Luke strongly replied, after taking a few steps back.

Jeran smiled, and left the two alone.

"And now…we head home," Blaze mused; Luke nodded in approval.

The two made their way out of the expansive cave, and with that, they were back outside. Upon their return to the forest, the weary travelers were greeted by the starlit night sky overhead.

"Did I really waste an entire day in there feeling sorry for myself?" Luke whispered to himself, still upset about the day's events and the insensitive remarks he had made just moments ago.

"Well," Blaze began; the sudden break in silence gained his son's attention, and after a quick sigh, the veteran Pokémon continued. "While some would consider it a better idea to head on back so we don't worry the others, at this point, we're better off setting up camp right here." Luke tilted his head, confused at his father's reasoning. Upon noticing this, Blaze continued, "This has been a long day for both of us, as I mentioned before, and it's also generally a bad idea to travel at night, especially when you're out in the woods like this." Luke nodded to show he understood; he was still concerned, but didn't want to question his father's words.

Luke sat down near the riverbed, leaned back against a tree, and breathed a sigh of relief. He closed his eyes and thought about the advice Jeran had given him, as well as the promise he made to his new friend. He was suddenly alerted by his father's presence; in his reverie, Luke had begun to doze off, so he didn't hear Blaze approach.

"Hey, sleepyhead," Blaze taunted while nudging his son, after which came a faint chuckle. Luke darted to his feet, and silently gazed at his father, almost stumbling in the process. "Trust me, I'm just as tired as you are, but don't you think it would be wise to get a fire going so we don't catch a cold or something?" Luke nodded. "Then you watch over things here while I go and get some firewood." He turned to leave, but quickly stopped. "One more thing: you had left in such a hurry earlier, that you forgot this," Blaze said as he removed his son's backpack, and held it out for him.

"Thanks," Luke happily replied as he took the yellow backpack from his father.

As Blaze left to gather firewood, Luke sat back down and placed the backpack beside him. He watched the stars as he waited for his father to return. This was not a long wait; Blaze had reappeared within minutes of leaving, and silently set about arranging the collection of twigs he gathered. Luke watched his father do this, and suddenly memories of the various camping trips the two took flowed back. The two smiled at one another, then Blaze faced the pile of sticks and ignited it with a quick Flamethrower attack.

Feeling proud of his handiwork, Blaze sat down near the campfire, and fixed his gaze upon the sky. Luke joined his father by the fire, and sighed. He stared at the crackling flames in front of him, and thought about the journey ahead. Just as the campfire burned, so did the fire in his own heart; he made a silent vow that he would never give up on his dream, and, with the confirmed support from those around him, was now highly optimistic about his chances of success. He shifted slightly, then leaned against his father; Blaze placed a comforting arm around his son in response.

"Dad?" Luke asked, breaking the silence.

"Hm?" Blaze replied.

Luke cleared his throat. "About some of that other stuff you mentioned earlier, the preparation I still have to do… To get started as a rescuer, I mean. I wanted to discuss some of that with you."

"I understand," Blaze said, smiling, "but how about we get a good night's sleep first. Then we can take care of that stuff when we get back to the agency."

Luke sat up straight, and shook his head. "There's one thing I want to say that can't wait until tomorrow."

"Oh, really," Blaze responded, "Now what would that be?"

Luke sat there in a nervous state of silence for a moment, then cleared his throat again. "It's about who I want to join forces with."

"So, you wish to discuss who you'll have on your team, then?" Blaze asked.

"Yeah," Luke answered with a sigh.

"Very well," Blaze replied, his calm gaze easing his son's nervousness. "But first, I'd like to fill you in on something: there have been rescuers who have chosen to venture alone, but it rarely happens, and usually they only make that decision when they feel that a team would get in the way, they're more comfortable being alone, or they lost their old teammates and don't want to replace them. As I told you earlier, it's not recommended; if anything, it's highly dangerous, especially for someone with little to no experience, which is why it's such a rare occurrence. That was something I should've clarified earlier. Now, whenever you're ready…" Blaze continued to gaze upon his son, reassuring him that he was ready to listen.

Luke shifted himself into a comfortable position and gazed upon the campfire. After taking a deep breath, Luke began. "The thing is this: I understand how important it is to have a team." Blaze nodded. "To that end, it's also important to have the right Pokémon with you; not just Pokémon who can cover for a particular weakness, but Pokémon you can rely on to help you get stronger or to comfort you when you're upset or something—Pokémon you wouldn't be ashamed to consider your friends. There's a Pokémon I have in mind fits that description so well…"

Luke paused to give his words a chance to sink in. Blaze smiled proudly at his son, happy to hear that the young Lucario had now understood such a crucial part of being a rescuer.

Luke let out a sigh before speaking again. "I have a thought regarding who I'd like on my team," he reiterated nervously. "The Pokémon I'm thinking of is someone who has been there for me through just about everything—they've been a true friend to me and to those around them, they've helped me find strength I never thought I had, they've given me someone to look up to, and they've helped me decide what I want to do with my life. As young as I still am, I believe that, with this Pokémon by my side, I'm ready to go forth and fulfill my dream of being a hero. Also, whatever shortcomings I still have, I think that this Pokémon can compensate for them and help me grow in the process."

Blaze's eyes widened as he listened respectfully to his son allude to whoever it was he had chosen to join forces with. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, yet he remained silent; he didn't want to jump to any sort of conclusion, since this description could apply to just about any of the other Pokémon back at the rescue agency.

Luke gazed at his father and sighed. "You may have already figured out where I'm going with this, but—" He took a quick pause to compose himself. "Who am I kidding? Of course you know who I'm talking about!" He laughed. "_You_ are the Pokémon I'd like to have on my team!" Having said this, Luke felt as though a massive weight had been lifted from his heart; the smile on his face was a subtle indication of that.

Blaze was speechless upon having his suspicion confirmed; all he could do was face his son and cry.

"Dad?" Luke asked, worried. "Whether the answer is 'yes' or 'no,' please… Say something…"

All the elder Blaziken could manage as a response was to grasp his son, and pull him into a deep embrace. Luke felt no need to ask about this sudden gesture; the embrace he was now held in was one of love, gratitude, and pride. He spoke from his heart, and his father was moved to tears by the sudden, yet heartfelt, request he had just made. Luke closed his eyes, and reflected on the memories the two had shared, particularly the lessons he had learned during his training.

As hard as he tried, Blaze couldn't quell his tears, but he was at least able to speak again.

"Luke… My dear son…" he began. "I am truly honored that you would make such a request, and that you would come to me for something like this, and I am eternally grateful to know that you think so highly of me. That means so much to me…" He continued to cry. "I'm sorry for falling apart like this, but I just… Nothing I can say would truly summarize how happy I am right now."

Luke silently comforted his father as he patiently awaited the answer to his request. Some time later, Blaze released his son from his grasp, and smiled at him, now calm and ready to continue his response.

"Luke," he said, calmly, "again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Before I can give a definite answer as to whether I'll join you or not, however, I want to remind you that I already have a team."

Luke nodded. "I am fully aware that you have your own team to manage, but I figured I'd at least ask because…" He let out a sigh.

"Don't be ashamed, son," Blaze replied. "There's no harm in asking."

Luke looked at the fire, than back at his father. "Thanks. I appreciate that. The thing is, I figured I'd ask you this request because I know your team hasn't been very active since you've been training me—longer than that, actually—and I thought you might want to get back to doing what you loved. Also, I want you to accompany me because you and I have worked together for so long, that we're practically a team already; we know each others' strengths and weaknesses, we have fun together, and a whole bunch of other stuff. We have the perfect team dynamics, so I just thought we could make it official: let's not just feel like a team; let's _be_ a team."

Blaze pondered his son's observation and philosophy. "What you say is true. The last mission my team embarked on was the mission in which we ultimately found you and I do miss the action, also the two of us have functioned as a team both in and out of training; I like the way you think in regards to that. But the truth of the matter is that I am still the leader of another team; we haven't officially disbanded, so we could still accept missions should we choose to do so. I've honestly never heard of a Pokémon being on multiple teams at once, so I highly doubt they would allow it, but if you are serious about this—" He let out a deep sigh. "Then I guess I could discuss this with them when we get back home, and see if they could at least bend the rules for you. I just hope Tide and Ryder don't get the wrong idea…"

Feeling a hint of guilt after that last statement his father made, Luke couldn't help but comment. "Dad, those two are your friends. I know that, and I certainly don't want to create any drama between you guys. Honestly, if this ends up violating one of the rules, then…just forget I asked. Another reason I wanted you on my team is because of your experience as a rescuer. I believe that I can learn so much from having you fighting and exploring alongside me. However, as much as I want that, I don't want to hurt or offend anyone, and I don't want to break any of the rules. I can just ask someone else to join me."

Blaze couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions at his son's solemn reply. "Son, I—" he managed before tears began forming in his eyes. He now regretted making the comment about his friends, and was hurt to see his son so heartbroken, yet he was also proud that Luke understood the importance of following the agency's rules. Suddenly unable to say anything again, Blaze pulled his son into another gentle embrace in an effort to calm him.

As Luke began to sob into his father's shoulder, Blaze delivered a sincere apology to his son. "Luke, I'm so sorry…" he whispered. "It was insensitive for me to say what I did; I'm sorry you got the wrong impression from my last remarks. I am willing to discuss this with my team and with the Pokémon in the agency office. And just as I said before, son, I would be honored to fight alongside you, but even if I am unable to be on a team with you, we can still train together, and I can still give you advice. I know it isn't entirely what you want, but I sincerely hope it's a fair compromise."

Luke pulled away from his father, and looked up at the stars. _Fair_, he thought. _What a load of garbage!_ He reminded himself of all the times someone had told him that "life itself is unfair," yet he still couldn't accept this; sure, he wanted to continue to train with his father and learn from him, but that was no longer enough—this was his chance to observe the veteran in action. Luke watched the stars flicker as the tears continued to flow freely from his eyes.

It seemed as though someone was speaking to him through the stars; as he observed the sky, his sadness was eased and he was suddenly reminded of the conversation he had back in the cave. _I can't start feeling sorry for myself again!_ Luke thought, chastising himself. _I'm so much better than this. I made a promise to Jeran that I wouldn't argue with my father, and that I would accept whatever he had to say to me. Dad's right; the chances of them letting us be an actual team are ridiculously low, so the best thing for me to do would be to accept him as a mentor and training partner, and find someone else to team up with, no matter how unfair it seems._

"Son?" Blaze said, concerned as he watched Luke stare at the night sky above them.

Luke, now calm, wiped the tears from his eyes, and faced his father. "I'm sorry, dad. I just had to gather my thoughts a bit."

"That's fine," Blaze replied.

Luke continued. "Just so you know, I intend to hold you to your promise of speaking to the others about this. However, I do want to say this: While I wish with all my heart that you could join me, so I could actually see how you are when you're on a mission, if they don't allow us to be teammates, I am willing to accept your compromise; I've always felt honored to be able to train with you, and I wouldn't mind continuing that. Unfortunately…" He sighed, suddenly embarrassed about something. "Now that I think about it, I honestly don't know who else I'd really want on my team, aside from someone around my age. The whole time I trained, I never thought about who my eventual teammates would be. I just decided to ask you because, while watching you set up the campfire, I remembered all the training and stuff we did together, and all the lessons I had learned from that. I'm fully aware of how stupid it was to save something like that for the last minute, especially since I don't have any sort of 'Plan B.'" After Luke had finished, he hung his head sadly.

Blaze gently patted his son on the back, and told him, "Think nothing of it. You have plenty of time to form a team. I can't express this enough; I'm just as fond of all the memories we shared as you are, and I feel as though I've learned just as much from you as you've learned from me, if not more." Luke smiled upon hearing that. "Yeah," Blaze continued. "That's much better; cheer up, and think about all of the excitement ahead of you."

Luke let forth a great sigh of relief, closed his eyes, and smiled; his father was right about everything he had said. He had a lot ahead of him, he still had some preparation to do, but there was no need to rush through it. Luke grew nervous thinking about his future, yet the kind words from his father eased those fears.

Blaze addressed his son upon noticing he was once again leaning comfortably against him. "Since we've got all of that mess behind us, what do you say we get some sleep? For real this time."

"Sounds good…" Luke responded softly.

Blaze took a quick glance at the sky, slid back from the fire, and draped an arm around his son's shoulders.

Luke, feeling the greatest sense of peace he had felt in a long time, stretched, yawned, and leaned closer to his father, adjusting himself until he was comfortable.

Blaze looked down at his son who was now lying in his lap and looking up at the sky. _It's been ages since he's laid on me like this_, he remembered as he continued to gaze upon his son's face. Luke shifted a bit upon noticing this, and the two smiled at each other.

"This takes you back, doesn't it?" he asked.

"Yes…" Blaze answered, "It certainly does."

"I used to fall asleep like this every single time you and I went camping together," Luke recalled. "I can't explain why, but I always felt so comfortable this way." "I remember," Blaze quietly replied. "I personally thought you liked laying on my lap like this because of my body heat. There's something about us Fire-types… It's like there's a furnace constantly burning inside of our bodies. I figured that had to be the reason since you frequently commented on how warm you were whenever I held you."

Luke closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

"Speaking of that…" Blaze remarked softly.

Luke opened his eyes and stared at his father in confusion.

Without saying a word, Blaze slid one arm under his son's legs and the other under his shoulders, and gently lifted him, startling the young Lucario. "Relax, son," Blaze responded. He pulled Luke close to him, adjusted the arm that held his son's legs, and whispered, "I know you're not a baby anymore, but I remember that whenever I held you like this, no matter how scared or upset you were, you would always calm down and fall asleep right in my arms."

"Dad…" Luke whispered. He couldn't help but cry softly as his father gently rocked him, just as he had done so long ago. "I love you so much, dad…"

"I love you, too, Luke… My son…" he whispered back. "I'm so very proud of you. You've grown so much…" He smiled as he continued the protective gesture, and before long, Luke was asleep with a faint smile upon his face. Blaze calmly placed his son's sleeping form next to the fire, and laid down beside him, closing his eyes and breathing deeply, and soon, Blaze was asleep as well.


	9. Chapter 9 -- A New Team, A New Adventure

The morning came with a quiet beginning, the sun's rays illuminating the forest below. Silently, Luke opened his eyes to the beautiful sunrise above him, and smiled upon noticing his father's restful form next to him. Carefully, he got up, stretched, and walked over to the river. He stared at his reflection for a bit before splashing some of the cool water upon his face. Shaking himself dry, he returned back to the fire pit, which was now little more than a pile of ash and charred branches.

Moments later, Blaze awoke in a similar manner; he opened his eyes, stretched, and turned to face his son.

"Morning," Blaze said happily.

"Good morning, yourself," Luke replied.

After a quick breakfast of fruits and berries from Luke's backpack, they gathered their belongings, and prepared for the walk back to the rescue agency.

Luke was understandably nervous, as well as excited; he was so close to fulfilling his dream, that he couldn't contain himself. In an attempt to unwind, he decided to strike up a conversation.

"Once we get back to the agency," Luke began, suddenly, "we head straight for the recruiting office, right?"

"That's the idea," Blaze confirmed.

"Awesome!" Luke exclaimed.

Blaze laughed at his son's enthusiasm a bit before responding. "Yes, it is exciting, isn't it? Once we get back there, we'll head to the office, and take care of the little details. Only then will you be officially recognized as a rescuer."

Luke, now calm, suddenly chimed in, "Don't forget about the thing we talked about last night!"

"I understand," Blaze replied, calmly. "After all, I did make a promise regarding that, didn't I?"

"Yeah..." Luke said with a smile.

The two walked silently for a while, then Luke's curiosity took over.

"Hey, dad?" he asked.

"Yeah, son?" Blaze replied.

"What exactly do I have to do? I know you tried explaining some of it to me yesterday, but I…" Luke's voice trailed off as the memories of the previous day came back.

"For starters," Blaze began, "you go to the main office, and tell them that you wish to form a team. From there, you decide on who you want with you, and what you want your team to be called. After that, there's a few procedural tasks, such as training, which you've already done."

"Aside from training, what else is there?" Luke asked. "After your team has been registered, they give you an opportunity to bond with your team. That simply means getting to know each other and learning how you function together; part of that process consists of a few trial exercises, and once they feel your ready, your team is given permission to accept job requests."

Luke seemed confused all of a sudden. "That does make sense that they have it set up that way, but what happens if they actually do let us join forces?

"Hmm…" Blaze was now just as confused as his son. "I honestly don't know. Remember what I told you last night; I'm already the leader of my own team, and I can't recall them ever letting someone be on multiple teams at once."

Luke's depression returned when he remembered the conversation from last night.

Blaze, noticing this, quickly spoke up. "Hey, don't worry, son. Remember the agreement we made?"

Luke nodded. "You and I are a team, just as you said last night, even if it isn't in the way you want it to be. When your not out there fulfilling requests, you can tell me how things are going and I can help you and your teammates with your battling skills."

Luke managed a faint smile.

"No matter what happens, you'll still be able to live out your dream, so just cheer up, go forth, and continue to make me proud of you!" Once he was finished, he burst into laughter.

Luke, his spirit lifted, thanked his father and began to laugh as well, and the two continued along the path. Before they knew it, they had returned to the rescue agency. Standing at the front door, they smiled at each other before going inside.

Upon entering the main hall, they were startled by a familiar voice.

"There you are!" the speaker yelled, as they approached the pair.

"Ryder!" Blaze exclaimed. "Hey… What's up?"

The expression on the Tyranitar's face turned fierce. "What's up? What's up?! I'll tell you what's up!"

Luke and Blaze both stood frozen in place as Ryder glared at them.

All three were silent until Ryder spoke up. "Tide told me about how you suddenly took off yesterday," he began, initially addressing his friend. "Do you know how worried I've been? I wanted to go after you, but Tide insisted I stay here, just as you had commanded him. We've both been waiting for you to return, but Tide…" He shook his head. "He seemed unusually calm about this. I understand you can fend for yourself, Blaze, but you…" His gaze was now focused on Luke, and his voice lowered.

Luke was petrified as he stared into the piercing glare of his father's—and to a lesser extent, his—longtime friend; he could see the grief in the fearsome Pokémon's eyes.

"I don't care how upset you were," he warned, "but don't you _ever_ take off like that again. You had your father worried sick about you; even more than usual. It's been a long time since I've seen him so upset that he just took off, and I don't like seeing anyone like that." Suddenly his tone softened.

"You had us all worried, kid; not just your dad. He told Tide and I about the conversation you two had yesterday morning, and we could both see how upset that made him. He did initially choose to wait for you to get back here, but then he decided to go and bring you back. It hurt seeing him like that." By this point, Ryder's gaze had softened as well, and tears now lightly flowed from his eyes.

"I'm really sorry," Luke tearfully apologized. "Dad cleared everything up when he found me last night. I met someone in the cave, and told him what had happened. It was that Pokémon who convinced me to apologize and to listen to what my dad had to say to me. And just so you know, he stayed with me in the forest. It was too dark to come back here last night, so we just camped out by the river. He was taking care of me, so everything turned out just fine. We made things right, discussed a few personal matters, and we made it back here."

"Apology accepted, Luke," another voice responded, calmly.

"Tide…" Blaze smiled upon seeing his other teammate and close friend.

"Ryder," Tide began, "you're right in saying we were all worried about those two, but just as Luke explained, he had his dad looking after him. You really shouldn't be too hard on the kid. I mean, you saw how dark it got last night. Did you really expect them to try and walk back when they probably couldn't see a foot in front of their faces?"

Ryder turned around and dried his eyes as Tide approached the trio. "You have a good point," he stated in response to his friend's question. After turning back to the other two, he continued. "I shouldn't have gotten myself so worked up. After all, you two are both uninjured and you resolved that argument you had yesterday. So, everything turned out for the better."

Tide nodded in response.

"Now that that's been addressed…" Blaze said, quietly, turning to face Luke as he did so, "…we have some business to attend to."

Luke's face donned a look of determination; he knew what his father meant. Tide and Ryder both smiled and nodded to each other, and let their friends leave to tend to their own affairs.

As the two headed toward the main office, Luke's mind raced with excitement as he thought about the kinds of missions he would embark upon. As he and his father reached their destination, instinct took over; they stepped into the room, and Luke immediately walked up to the reception desk.

"Good day," the Pokémon seated there said, politely. "How may I help you?"

"I'd like to register to form a rescue team," Luke answered.

The secretary looked up from the paperwork in front of her, and shrieked happily upon noticing who made the request.

"Luke! Is it that time already? My goodness, how time flies…"

Blaze casually joined his son at the reception desk. "I know what you mean," he responded.

Luke cleared his throat and reminded his father about why they were there.

"Don't worry, son," Blaze said, reassuringly. "I haven't forgotten." He returned his gaze to the secretary. "So how about it, Autumn? Think you can help him out?"

"Of course I can!" the kindly Dragonite exclaimed. "Just give me a moment, and I can get everything ready for you. Hee hee!"

_This is it_, Luke thought with a smile on his face. _After all the time I've spent preparing myself and waiting, I finally get to realize my dream._

Autumn finished filing the paperwork she was tending to before, and pulled some things out of a nearby filing cabinet.

"Alright, then," she said. "First thing for you to do is to look over this." She handed Luke one of the documents she withdrew from the cabinet.

Autumn waited patiently as Luke read over the paper he was given; it was basic outline of the rules and procedures the agency followed. Once finished, he handed it back to her, and she set it aside and placed another document in front of her.

"Now, then," she began, "this form is what we use to record your team's information. I'll read off each item and you just tell me what to write down."

Luke nodded to show he understood.

"First thing on the list: What will your team be called?" Autumn read.

"Before we go through that, I have a quick question," Luke politely replied.

"Very well, then. What is it you wish to ask?"

"I'd like to ask something regarding the members of my team. I know we're not quite at that question yet, but I just have a concern I want to address."

"OK, then." Autumn looked back to the paper, stopping at the desired section. "Fire away!" she said with a smile.

"I was wondering if I could have my dad on my team. I don't have anyone else in mind at the moment, partly because I didn't think too much of it, but the reason I want my dad with me is because of how much we've worked together over the years between training and other stuff."

Autumn smiled. "I understand."

"You do?"

"Of course. Wait there." Autumn went over to another filing cabinet, and began scanning the folders within. After a few moments of searching, she pulled one out and placed it on the desk.

"This is the information for your team, Blaze," she informed him, before turning back to Luke.

"Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't be possible for a Pokémon to be on multiple teams at once." Luke nodded, remembering what he was told the night before. "The only way something along those lines would be possible is if a team disbanded or one of its members left the team for some reason. In a situation like that, they would go through the process of switching teams. However, your father's team is still active; I trust you're aware of that." Luke nodded again, and looked over to Blaze.

"Wait here," Blaze said calmly.

He left the room, and returned a few moments later, joined by his teammates.

Tide spoke first. "Your dad told us there was something important to discuss."

Ryder spoke next. "Specifically, he said it was something you wanted to ask us."

"Yeah, it is," Luke replied. "I was wanting him to be on my team, but the issue is that he's still the leader among the three of you. The question now is how to resolve this…mess. I don't want to cause any trouble between you guys, and I certainly don't want to break any rules." The two nodded to each other, then they all faced Autumn.

"That's really kind of you to consider your dad like that," Tide whispered to Luke.

Ryder, hearing his friend, also commented. "I have no objections," he told Autumn. "Although… how do we resolve this? Blaze?" He looked over at his friend.

They all stood there silently for a moment before Autumn spoke up. "If I may…" They looked back at her. "It's been a while since you three have accepted any requests; in place of that Blaze has been training with Luke for quite a while now." Blaze nodded in confirmation. "And the two of you…" she continued, shifting her gaze between Tide and Ryder. "The two of you pretty much followed his lead and became trainers as well."

The three, understanding the logic in Autumn's remarks, smiled at each other.

She continued. "With that in mind, there is something I can do to address this. Consider it a personal favor," she said happily. "I can put an amendment on your registration form stating that, while you are still an active team, you've all moved to training the new recruits. By doing that, I can then allow Blaze to join his son. All I have to do from there is copy Blaze's information over to this new form."

Luke was overjoyed. "Thank you so much," he managed, tears of happiness now flowing from his eyes.

Autumn slowly shook her head. "Think nothing of it. Normally this sort of thing wouldn't be done, but I think it's fair to bend the rules a bit. After all, we're in the presence of one of the greatest teams to ever enlist here." Blaze and his teammates were mildly embarrassed by the compliment.

With that dilemma solved, Tide and Ryder left the room. As they departed, Autumn filled out the necessary documentation as she promised moments before. Once that was done, she placed the paperwork she had initially pulled from the filing cabinet in front of her after returning the folder with Blaze's team information to where she found it. After organizing her work area, Autumn returned her friendly gaze to the two Pokémon before her.

"Alright, then!" she exclaimed happily. "Now we can finish getting you registered."

Luke nodded, eager to get started on his new career.

"I already have your team members listed; it's just the two of you for now, correct?"

Luke and Blaze both nodded in confirmation.

"In the event that you find someone else who wishes to join you, all you have to do is come to me, and I'll take care of the rest," Autumn informed the two. "Now that the team has its members, it needs a name."

Luke and Blaze looked at each other for a moment before discussing some potential names for their team. A while later, Luke turned back toward the counter, and nervously rested his paws upon its surface.

"I have a name," he muttered, shyly.

"Excuse me?" Autumn asked.

"I have a name for the team," Luke repeated, this time speaking loud enough to be heard.

"Very well, then. Ready when you are."

"Fireheart…" Luke responded, calmly. "That's what I want our team to be called."

"It sounds very noble," Blaze chimed in. "I like it."

"Then it's settled; from this day forth, you will be known as Team Fireheart!" Autumn proudly exclaimed as she finished filling out the registration form. "Now all I have to do is make a folder for you, then I have to go get a few other things." She pulled a blank folder from one of the filing cabinets, and placed the finished document inside after writing some things on the folder's front cover. After putting the folder away, she left through the door behind her, and came back with a small black box.

"This is something that no team can go without," she explained as she opened the box to reveal its contents. Inside was a small badge; simple, yet elegant at the same time. It looked like some kind of coin, except there were what appeared to be wings attached to the sides. The light from the room made the badge's metallic surface sparkle; the ivory wings seemed to glow, illuminating the whole thing against the box's black lining. After handing the box to Luke, Autumn continued her explanation.

"This is your Rescue Badge, Luke. Don't lose it; this badge shows that you are a rescuer, and it has powers that very few can fully understand, which you will come to rely on as you embark on your missions."

"Thank you for this," Luke responded, politely. "I promise I'll take good care of it."

"As for you, Blaze," Autumn said as she shifted her gaze, "the badge you already possess will continue to serve you as it has for so many long years."

He nodded to show that he understood.

"I'd say that wraps everything up here; considering the effort and experience between you two, I think we can skip those 'team bonding' exercises." She finished that last remark with a laugh. "Now then, you two are all set to accept requests."

"Excellent," Luke replied, eager to get started.

"However!" Autumn cut in. "As you are a brand-new team, you still have to begin at the Bronze Rank."

Luke faced the floor in dismay.

"But don't worry," Autumn said, suddenly, "Once you start accepting job requests, and fulfilling those requests, you'll have your rank up before you know it."

Luke looked back at her and smiled. _She's right_, he thought_. Dad and I will level our way up in no time flat. Besides, why should I get myself so worked up? I've got a team now, so that takes care of part of my dream. Now, we just have to start accepting requests and go from there._

"That's more like it," Autumn said, cheerfully. "Now to accept a request, just go over to that bulletin board—" She pointed at the display to her far right. "—and find the one you want. Each post is labeled with the required rank, so be sure to keep that in mind. Once you've found a job request that interests you, pull it off the board, and bring it to me. I'll make a note of any requests you've accepted or completed in your team file, so if you happen to forget what your current mission is, or you wish to know how close you are to the next rank, just speak to me."

Luke nodded respectfully to show that he understood Autumn's explanation fully, then walked over to the bulletin board. He scanned the posts for a while, lamenting at the fact that most of the job requests his team was currently allowed to accept were little more than fetch quests or escort missions, before settling on one in particular: a note headlined "Alone and hungry!" He read the information on the paper, feeling somewhat satisfied that he could do some actual rescuing, and returned to the desk. After allowing his father to read it, Luke placed the coarsely-written note in front of Autumn.

"I'd like to do this one," he declared.

"Very well. I'll just make a note of this real quick." Autumn retrieved Luke's team file and made a few notes within. Once that was done, she set the folder aside, and looked back up at the two, and smiled. "And now, the rest…is up to you. When you finish the mission, return here, and I'll note that accordingly. Good luck!"

The newly-formed team thanked the kindhearted secretary, and departed toward their destination after taking a brief rest and replenishing their supplies, thus beginning the adventures of Team Fireheart.


	10. Chapter 10 -- A Fault of Anxiety

The crisp morning air swept over the rooftop of the rescue agency; it was cold, yet comfortable. Though the sun had not yet risen, one Pokémon was already awake. As he stood in the grassy field behind the agency, he carefully pondered his plans for the day. As he stood there in a meditative state, the golden glow of the sun began to fill the sky above. Though he noticed the daybreak occurring, he did not move until his reverie was interrupted by a nearby voice.

"Hey, Luke," the speaker called.

He turned upon the mention of his name. "Oh! Hi, dad."

"You're up awfully early. Something on your mind?" Blaze asked.

"Well… I am thinking about what we'll run into today, but that's nothing new. Actually, I woke up in the middle of the night, but couldn't get back to sleep no matter what I did. I just laid there with my eyes closed for a bit. Suddenly, I had this feeling of anxiety, so I came out here to clear my head a bit."

"Feel any better?" Blaze asked his son, a hint of concern noticeable in his voice.

"A bit," Luke replied. "I'm probably worrying about nothing again. Whatever. Let's just go back inside and decide what we'll do today."

Blaze nodded in agreement and the two turned to head back inside. Though the walk was relatively short, to Luke, it felt like an eternity; his mind was still plagued with the feeling of anxiety.

_What is wrong with me? _he wondered. _Everything has been pretty peaceful, just as always. Sure, we have the occasional cave-in or something, but those things are normal. I've been at this for close to three years now; anxiety is a part of the job, but still… Ah, whatever… I am just worrying about nothing again._

Luke and Blaze were both silent as they made their way to the dining room. As they ate their breakfast and talked about what the day would bring, Luke's anxiety gradually disappeared. However, most of the conversation was just Blaze commenting about something, and Luke absentmindedly nodding in approval or giving a short answer to a question.

"You know," Blaze said plainly, "I think I know what we should do today."

"Oh, really?" Luke asked. "What?"

"We should spend today doing father/son activities."

"What?!" Luke exclaimed toward his father's suggestion.

Blaze looked around the room, then leaned toward his son. "Since we've been a team, we haven't done much in the way of having fun. I commend your dedication to this, as I have said many times before, but even a veteran needs time to unwind. I don't know about you, but I could use a bit of a break. For the sake of the team, and the sake of your own health, please…"

"Fine…" Luke whispered.

"I'm not trying to tie you down or anything; I just want to help you ease some of that tension you've been building up lately."

"Alright, then. What do you have in mind?"

"How about we go for a nice walk through the woods or visit that old friend of yours?"

This made Luke feel a bit better; with a smile on his face, he stood up and stretched a bit. He then looked back at his father and nodded, silently accepting the suggestion. However, before the two could leave, the dining hall chatter was broken by the sound of the doors forcefully being opened. Everyone's gaze shifted toward the source of the noise; a single Pokémon stood there, shaking slightly.

"Everyone," the speaker began, "we have a bit of a situation on our hands."

"What is it? What's happened?" someone asked.

After calming himself, the speaker continued. "An earthquake… Not far from here; probably about ten miles to the north."

The rumble of concerned voices now filled the hall. Earthquakes are normal for mountainous regions, but something about the whole incident didn't feel right. There weren't any real hills or mountains in the area. Furthermore, what would cause an earthquake to happen out of nowhere like that? These and other questions plagued everyone's minds as they thought about the well-being of the victims of this incident. Gradually, the dining hall was emptied as teams departed to gather additional information about the incident and offer assistance to the victims. Before long, Team Fireheart was the only team remaining in the dining hall.

"The reunion will have to wait," Luke said, looking at his father with a stern gaze.

Blaze nodded silently; he understood the concern that filled his son's eyes.

Luke took time to voice that concern. "They need all the help they can get, and there's a chance the earthquake may have caused a landslide or something."

With that, the two nodded at one another before leaving to join their comrades headed for the disaster site.

After a relatively easy journey, the crowd of Pokémon had reached its destination. Fortunately for everyone, the damage from the earthquake was minor. Wordlessly, they worked diligently to clean the mess of debris and repair the damaged property. Altogether, it took the numerous Pokémon teams approximately a day to restore the village to its previous glory. Once the crisis had been addressed, everyone returned to the agency. However, there was no rest for the weary.

Within the following days and weeks, more earthquakes occurred across the region, however each one was stronger than the last. Ultimately, a mountain village to the south was fully demolished by a high-magnitude earthquake. To make matters worse, they were hit by an equally-devastating aftershock almost immediately afterward.

As the earthquakes had ravaged the land, the situation became more and more severe. Many top-ranked teams were dispatched to the area to help the residents. However, with the destruction of the mountain village, the situation turned from bad to worse; in addition to the destruction of the village itself, a shrine built on the outskirts of the village had been leveled. In response, the Pokémon dwelling within awoke in a blind rage, and showered the village and the surrounding area in a violent firestorm, while accusing the villagers of sabotage.

This last detail unnerved everyone, but no matter how great the devastation was, they had a duty to fulfill. With that, this village's situation was given top priority. The question now was how to resolve it.


	11. Chapter 11 -- A Devastating Truth

The rescue agency was in an anxious uproar over the peril that now loomed. Though the multitude of rescue teams worked diligently to help the villagers rebuild their homes and their lives, the destruction continued just as swiftly as before.

However, not all the teams departed for the mountains. Some stayed behind to await news on the situation and keep the facility running, among other things. Those that stayed behind held discussions on what to do if the situation grew worse, what to do if nothing changed, what to do about the earthquakes… One question led to another, and the discussions yielded little more than wasted time.

"This is just…too much," Tide lamented as he stared at the glass of water in front of him.

"We can't give up!" Blaze sternly declared.

"Dad's right!" Luke responded. "We can't admit defeat so easily. Sure, we still have a huge mystery to solve, but with the combined efforts of all the teams here, we'll have this chaos behind us in no time."

"You're right," Tide admitted. "We can do this! After all, this sort of thing is what we've dedicated our lives to. It's never easy, but someone has to do it. Unfortunately, we have a list of unanswered questions, and no clues to answer them. What do we do?"

"Well…" Ryder chimed in. "The first thing we need to do is find out who is causing all of this destruction, and find out why. Then, we need to find out what's causing all of these earthquakes. Also, we'll need to clean up all of the messes these disasters have made. It's certainly a lot of work, but nothing we can't handle." He leaned forward and rested his arms on the dining table.

"We know why the village was destroyed," Tide countered. "The earthquake that leveled the village also knocked over that shrine. The Pokémon they built it for burned the area to the ground out of anger and grief. I mean, how would you react if you were in a situation like that? I know I wouldn't be too happy."

"Yeah, I get that the Pokémon is angry, but to just outright accuse those that worship you and protect your home…? That's just…unforgivable." Ryder shook his head. "I can understand being upset over losing your home, but to take it out on those around you without taking the time to get answers first is about as low as you can get in a situation like that."

"So, the plan is actually to first find out who incinerated the area, then talk some sense into them," Luke clarified.

The others nodded in agreement, and Luke continued.

"After that's taken care of, the village will have to be rebuilt, and someone will have to look into the cause of these earthquakes. They've still been happening, but they don't seem to be as intense or as erratic as they have been. That in itself is good news."

"That is indeed good news," Blaze agreed. "I can't help but think that this earthquake dilemma is our real hurdle; after we address it, everything should be back to normal."

The four sat in silence to ponder that thought, looking ahead to having peace once again.

"So this Pokémon…" Ryder suddenly began, "there are two things we can look at to narrow down the possibilities of who it could be. The had a shrine built for them, and they destroyed the village and the forest in a wave of fire. This means it has to be a legendary Fire-type. Only those Pokémon mentioned in legends have shrines dedicated to them, and the fire-based attacks are mostly obvious."

"That makes sense," Tide replied. "Although, it could be any fire user; not strictly a Fire-type, as there are many Pokémon out there that can use fire-based moves without being Fire-type."

"That's right…" Ryder said, now scratching his head in confusion.

Again, the four sat in silence, now pondering how they would approach the Pokémon and calm them, whoever it may be. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of the doors opening and a Pokémon frantically entering the room; all eyes were now focused in that direction.

After catching his breath, the Pokémon spoke.

"Everyone…" the Pokémon, a young Hitmonchan, began, "the main office has just received an update regarding that village that got demolished."

The hall's small crowd now listened intently.

"What I am about to tell you… There are others that were asked to pass this around; not just me. Anyway, they've just discovered who the mysterious Pokémon is. Based on what they've seen through exploring the shrine and speaking to the villagers, they've been able to piece things together."

The speaker paused to regain his composure.

"The Pokémon that inhabited that shrine…and is now blindly attacking everything and everyone in sight…is the legendary Dragon of Truth… Reshiram…" His voice trailed off as he finished delivering the disturbing news. "I'm sorry, everyone…" he managed before falling to his knees, silently crying over the weight of the newly-received information.

A few Pokémon went over to comfort him while the rest of the hall's occupants nervously discussed the new development.

"This situation has just turned much worse than any of us were expecting," Luke lamented.

Blaze solemnly nodded in agreement before speaking. "It's true; we did guess correctly that it would be a legendary Pokémon we would have to face, but Reshiram…"

"Forgive my ignorance," Luke responded, "but who is Reshiram? That name just doesn't sound familiar to me."

Ryder managed a small laugh. "No worries about that. Reshiram is the legendary Pokémon native to that village; some even believe Reshiram is its protector. Not much is known about that white dragon, but when you've been at this as long as some of us have, you hear all sorts of different stories, some of which pertain to various legends. Based on what I've heard, Reshiram is supposed to be very powerful, yet kind."

"It's true," Tide said in response to his friend's explanation. "Reshiram is supposed to be a very kindhearted and strong Pokémon and would never just go on a rampage like that."

"So, Reshiram lived inside that shrine?" Luke asked.  
"Yes," Blaze answered. "To be more specific, she has been sleeping inside it, in a sense. Just as the Hitmonchan over there said, Reshiram is known for seeing the truth in everything and everyone, and has earned the title "Dragon of Truth" because of that fact. The shrine's destruction most likely woke her and because she has been sleeping for such a long time, the power contained within was unleashed all at once, which could explain why she went on such a violent rampage."

"Wow…" Luke whispered, unable to say much of anything else.

So with that unsettling bit of news in hand, the agency's top priority was now to quell Reshiram's rage as soon as possible, no matter what it took.


	12. Chapter 12 -- In Case of Emergency

After the initial panic over this unnerving revelation had subsided, the crowd of Pokémon pondered their next course of action. After what felt like an eternity, the silence was broken.

"As bad as things are," the speaker, a Magmar began, "we are rescuers. We live for things like this."

"Sure, we dedicate our lives to helping others in times of emergency," the Hitmonchan from before responded, shaking his head. "But this…"

"I'm sorry," the Magmar replied, noticing the anxiety in his comrade's voice.

"It's fine," another Pokémon, a Pidgeot, calmly replied. She let out a sigh, then voiced her own remark. "There is truth in what you say, young one. While this situation is much worse than anything we've had to deal with in the past, we are rescuers first and foremost, and we should not let the stress of this chaos dishearten us."

The rest of the crowd voiced their agreement. After a short moment, the room was again filled with silence; this silence was broken almost immediately. This time, however, Blaze was the one to speak.

"Now that that particular issue has been resolved, we can move on to the current issue facing us: what do we do about that village's plight?"

A few murmurs passed through the crowd; Blaze continued once that was done.

"Some of the teams should go and assist those in the village. The rest of us will stay here and figure out what to do about Reshiram."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and began discussing who would leave to aid the village's relief efforts and who would stay behind to formulate a plan to calm Reshiram. One by one, each team present volunteered for one of the two tasks; Luke was among those who volunteered to stay behind. Those that chose to stay behind congregated at a central table, and the discussion of what to do about Reshiram began; Luke was the first to speak.

"Before we can do anything," he began, "we need to know what we're up against. This is mostly me speaking from personal experience, but we should try to gather all the information we can about Reshiram. Once we have that, then we can go about formulating a strategy."

"You are wise beyond your years, young man," the Pidgeot from earlier responded.

"Thanks, Janella," Luke replied, shyly.

She smiled at him before adding her own remarks. "What Luke says is true; we can't just charge in without preparing ourselves first. Let's find out what we can about Reshiram, then build a strategy from there."

The others voiced their approval; Blaze being the first to add to the prior remarks made.

"Gathering information shouldn't be too hard, considering how long some of us have been here," he said, indicating his prior teammates along with some of the other Pokémon present.

"It's true," Tide chimed in. "Just as Ryder said before, when you've been at this as long as we have, you hear a lot of different stories and rumors. Reshiram is one such case; just as this young fellow–" he indicated the Hitmonchan "–said earlier, Reshiram is known as the Dragon of Truth. It's exactly as I explained: she earned the title because of her ability to see the truth in all of us."

Blaze added to his friend's comments. "Beyond that, it's been said that should one prove they're worthy, Reshiram will grant them her power and will follow them without question."

"Prove they're worthy?" Luke asked, confused.

"It means anyone who seeks to control that kind of power must first pass a test of sorts, and if they pass the test Reshiram will grant them said power. Specifically, they must state their reason for wanting the power. If Reshiram believes their reason to be true, and finds their conviction to be pure, she will grant them her power," Blaze clarified. "Unfortunately, little is known beyond that," he lamented.

"No worries," came the calm response from a Pokémon seated at the end of the table, a Scizor. "That information will be a sufficient starting place. Between that and our prior information, we can safely conclude that Reshiram is a big deal to that village, and her shrine's destruction created an element of mistrust and hatred toward the villagers, completely contradicting her kindhearted nature. We need to convince her somehow that the villagers were not responsible for that mess, and basically get her to come to her senses."

"That's the idea," Blaze responded. "Thing is," he sighed, "how do we talk someone like that out of a blind rage? Just as Scythe said, we have to extinguish Reshiram's rage and get her to see the truth…somehow…" The calm Scizor held a small grin upon his face in response to the acknowledgment.

"There's a problem with that, though," Luke cut in. "While it's true we have to talk some sense into Reshiram, if this 'Dragon of Truth' is as powerful as the legends say, then a battle against her would be nothing short of a suicide mission. Not even if we all joined forces would it matter." He pounded the surface of the table as he finished his grim observation.

The rest of the Pokémon present sat silently for a moment as the truth of the situation weighed over them. Janella was the first to respond to Luke's prior statement.

"Luke's words are, while harsh, quite true," she lamented. "Confronting such a powerful Pokémon would not end well for us as we are now."

"So what do we do, then?" Scythe asked, a hint of frustrated anxiety present in his voice.

"In a time like this, we consult the library," Blaze answered.

The crowd unanimously agreed, and with that, they all departed for the agency's library.


	13. Chapter 13 -- In Pursuit of a Legend

Upon their arrival at the agency library, the group of rescuers explained their situation to the lone Pokémon seated at the reception desk. The Alakazam wordlessly nodded; he was aware of the crisis at hand. Understanding the urgency of their visit, he gestured toward the numerous bookshelves nearby and nodded again. After mentally preparing themselves for the task at hand, the crowd of Pokémon split up and began the desperate search for information about Reshiram.

An hour had passed as they searched, though it felt much longer. The Pokémon pored through book after book, yet came up with nothing. Though they all knew what was at stake, doubt had begun to descend upon the library.

"This is hopeless!" Luke lamented. "It just feels like we're going in circles here."

"Calm yourself, Luke," Scythe whispered, sternly. He had chosen to assist the young Lucario due to his very limited knowledge of the various legends that exist, specifically the legend of Reshiram, but at this point, even he was unsure of what they were looking for. Even so, he would not allow himself to succumb to such despair. "I understand your frustration fully, but you must be diligent, young one. We will find the information we need, even if it takes us all night!"

Luke smiled at his companion's words as he continued scanning the bookshelf in front of him. _Scythe's right_, he thought. _I can't accept defeat, especially when there's so much on the line right now._ With that, Luke's vigor had been restored, and he had a new sense of focus within him.

He examined each book critically, and some time into this careful exercise, there was one book that caught his attention. As he removed it from the shelf to take a closer look, he called over to Scythe.

"Hey, check this out!" Luke whispered.

"Find something?" Scythe asked.

He held up the book and smiled triumphantly. On the cover of the aged tome was some sort of emblem comprised of two dragons; one in white…and one in black.

"It looked promising, so I figured we could at least skim through it to see if there's anything helpful inside," Luke said as he looked over the emblem etched into the book's cover.

Scythe's eyes lit up. "Luke, you did it!" he exclaimed. "There's no doubt in my mind that that book is where we'll find the answers we need. We must gather the others at once! There's no time to waste."

Having their spirits lifted by this positive turn of events, Luke and Scythe quickly found their companions. Once the group was back together, Luke showed everyone the book he found.

"I have no real clue what is written in this book," he began, "but Scythe is fully confident that this is it. When I noticed the emblem on the front cover, I had a thought that we could at least skim through here to see if there's any helpful information inside. Based on Scythe's reaction, I'd say that our little mystery is about to be solved."

"Good work, kid!" Tide said with a smile.

"Thanks," Luke replied.

A short moment later, the Pokémon were gathered around a study table. Luke carefully placed the book in the middle so everyone could see it.

"This is it," Ryder whispered with a smile. "The literal 'moment of truth.'"

"Seriously?" Tide asked as he glanced at his friend.

It turns out Scythe wasn't the only one who recognized the emblem on the cover; they had all noted the identity of at least one of the dragons there. The silhouette of Reshiram was apparent, but none of them could identify the black dragon pictured there. Not wanting to hesitate further, Luke carefully opened the book when instructed.

Time passed as the gang of Pokémon rescuers analyzed the ancient text in front of them in an effort to figure out their next course of action. They knew they had to find a way to assist their allies, but without the knowledge from the book, they were stuck. Just as they had hoped, they found a section of the book about Reshiram, though most of it was information they already had: the white dragon represents truth and possesses the power of fire, and those who wish to gain that power for themselves must prove themselves worthy by proving that their conviction—their truth—is pure. Finally, they found the answer they were looking for: opposite of Reshiram is the black dragon pictured on the book's cover—Zekrom.

"Now there's a name I've never heard," Blaze said as he scanned the illustration of the dragon and the text that accompanied it.

Ryder pointed at a particular section of the text. "According to this, Zekrom represents ideas in contrast to the truth. Also, he uses the power of electricity to contrast with Reshiram's power of fire, but the book describes him as being just as powerful."

"Well then," Tide cut in, "does it say where we can find him?"

"Not exactly," Ryder answered as he scanned the text. "However, there is this," he said as he passed the book to Tide.

He took it carefully, and looked at the section indicated by his friend. "So he, too, is resting somewhere. Just as with Reshiram, anyone who wishes to control this power must prove themselves worthy. In this case, however, they must prove that their ideals are pure."

"Isn't it obvious?" Luke asked, suddenly; everyone's gaze shifted toward him in response. "We have to find where Zekrom is, wake him up, and he has to be the one to calm Reshiram."

"There's a problem with that, I'm afraid," Tide lamented.

"What do you mean?" Luke asked with a suspicious glance.

"Take a look at this," Tide said, indicating another passage he found.

Luke read over it, and was disturbed by what he saw. Seeing the worried glances of his comrades, he summarized the passage in question. "It talks about a war that broke out in ancient times between the two. Apparently, each of them had lent their power to someone after they had proven themselves worthy of the power. Unfortunately, the two had conflicting beliefs and merely used the power they now controlled as a way of enforcing their own convictions onto the world. Tragically, the clash of fire and electricity only created a wasteland and countless casualties. When the two saw this, they were overcome with grief, and agreed to set aside their differences."

"With the two now at peace, they worked together to rebuild the land, and once the conflict was over, Reshiram and Zekrom returned to their respective domains. After the war, shrines were constructed where Reshiram and Zekrom slept in an effort to prevent something like this from happening again. As an added precaution, not only would one have to find where the shrine is located, they would also only be able to enter if granted permission by the shrine guardians. From there, it's just the same as before: once inside the shrine, they are tested, and if they pass the test, they get the power and the loyalty promised in the legend."

Once Luke finished reading that part of the book, he leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.


	14. Chapter 14 -- A Painful Decision

Everyone sat in silence as they pondered the unfortunate risk that came with reviving Zekrom. While it seemed finding the black dragon was their only option, none were willing to put the world in such a high degree of danger. Unfortunately, the risk of doing nothing was just as high: if Reshiram's rage wasn't quelled and she continued her path of destruction, the world was doomed anyway.

As the others debated what to do next, Luke sat silently; he understood that, even with the risk, summoning Zekrom was the only choice they had. Unable to sit idly by as they continued to argue, Luke was silent no more.

"EVERYONE, STOP!" he interrupted. Immediately, they fell silent and gazed at him.

"What—?" Tide began, but stopped once he noticed Luke's sharp gaze staring back at him.

"This is no time to be arguing," Luke said, barely able to keep his voice level. "We know what we're up against, and we know what we have to do about it. We know that, because of the earthquakes that have been happening lately, a whole village was destroyed, taking an ancient shrine with it. In the wake of the shrine's destruction, Reshiram—who, for many years, slept in that shrine and thought of it as a home—is now incinerating the place in a blind rage and blaming the village's inhabitants for the mess. She is supposed to be incredibly kindhearted, but now she is terrorizing an already-ravaged region and is showing no sign nor intention of stopping anytime soon." He stopped to make sure he had all the details accurate and to let his words sink in.

After taking a deep breath, he continued. "The answer is right in front of us: Zekrom is the only Pokémon strong enough to confront Reshiram. Yes, we all agreed that a fight would be a bad idea, especially when you consider what a battle between the two dragons could cause. None of us want to face that level of destruction, but even with the risk, we have no other choice. We need Zekrom's help. We've wasted enough time as it is, and we can't afford to waste anymore time by arguing about this. After all, think of the ones that already left; think of the risk they took by volunteering to go and help the villagers." He shook his head as the others maintained their silence.

"We have the answer to our problem, but if you feel like wasting your time arguing, then knock yourselves out. You're entitled to your own decision. Just know that you have no right to complain about the consequences of that decision. However, if none of you are willing to go and do your duty, and seek what's right in front of you, then I will." With that cold statement, Luke was silent again, trembling under the weight of his own words.

"You've really grown," Blaze commented. "Your bravery in a situation like this is something you should always be proud of. And just as Janella said earlier, you are indeed wise beyond your years."

Luke managed a faint smile toward his father's compliments, and, without saying a word, stood up and left the library. He stood in the hallway for a while, pondering the situation.

_This crisis is getting to all of us,_ he thought. _No worries, though. With the information we have, we shouldn't be too far from putting this behind us._

After partially collecting his thoughts, Luke continued walking, secretly fearing what now faced him. Plagued by the mystery ahead, the young Lucario numbly marched on toward the agency's dormitory.


	15. Chapter 15 -- Preparations

Upon reaching his bedroom, Luke immediately took a seat on his bed and fell onto his back. His mind raced as he thought about the severity of the peril that loomed over them, and more than anything, he thought about the harsh words he had said to the Pokémon who he had considered friends and teammates for so long. Feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt toward the things he said, especially toward the realization that most of his comments were only made out of anger, he began to cry.

Some time later, Luke was shaken out of his thoughts by a knock at the door. He quickly sat up and wiped his eyes, then got up and walked over to the door. He slowly opened the door to find his father standing on the other side. Luke was partially surprised to see him, yet grateful; he figured his father likely came to cheer him up.

"Hey," Blaze calmly said.

Silently, Luke stepped back to allow his father to enter. Upon doing so, Blaze carefully closed the door and faced his son. Immediately, Luke stepped forward and embraced his father, and, unable to contain his emotions, wept heavily.

Blaze calmly returned his son's embrace and gently stroked his head. After standing there for a moment, Blaze spoke softly.

"It's alright, son. Remember what I said before: you showed a commendable sense of bravery back there, and the wisdom you displayed in such a desperate situation is something you should be proud of. Trust me, Luke, you did nothing wrong."

Luke looked up at his father; his eyes held a look of disbelief. As Luke continued to cry, Blaze took some time to explain what happened after he left the room.

"While some of what you said may have been a bit harsh, none of them were offended. In fact, they actually wanted me to come and thank you for the wake-up call. We're all feeling the pressure here, and sometimes, even veterans fall apart, as you saw before."

After finishing his statements, Blaze continued to reassure his son, and once Luke was finally calm he returned to his bed, and took a seat on its edge. Once Blaze took a seat next to his son, the two of them began discussing the mission their team now faced.

"Now," Blaze said calmly, "you understand that finding Zekrom won't be easy, right?"

"Yes," Luke responded.

"After you left, we read a little further in that book. There was a description of where the two shrines are located. Reshiram's shrine rests in the mountains, right where the village was destroyed. Zekrom's shrine, on the other hand, is hidden deep underground."

"Underground?" Luke asked, surprised.

"Yes. Underground," Blaze confirmed. "Specifically, it's located near a cave under the mountains." He pulled out the map he had brought with him. "Reshiram's shrine is located to the southeast…right around here—" He pointed to the section of the mountains the other teams had made their way toward earlier. "—while Zekrom's shrine is to the southwest…somewhere around here." He pointed to another section of the map; the spot Blaze indicated was a straight line away from where Reshiram was, and it, too, was a rather mountainous region.

"So, Zekrom's shrine is in a cave buried deep under those mountains?" Luke asked.

"Yes," Blaze replied; he could sense his son's anxiety. "Trust me," he said, "I'm pretty nervous about this, too. As long as I've been a part of this agency, I can't say we've ever had anything this crazy happen before. Come on, we've got a long journey to prepare for."

"But what about the others?" Luke asked, suddenly.

"They've chosen to stay here and see what else they can find out about the two dragons; books, maps…anything, really." Blaze put a mark on the section of the map they were headed toward, and set it aside.

"As long as they don't start arguing while we're away," Luke chimed in, earning a small laugh from Blaze.

With that resolved, the two took some time to pack some supplies for the long trip ahead of them. Once they were absolutely sure they had everything they needed, they were off.


	16. Chapter 16 -- Journey Toward Ideals

Knowing they were headed for potentially unfamiliar territory, Luke kept his team's map out, only looking away from it to confirm their surroundings or scout for landmarks. For a time, the two Pokémon walked wordlessly onward, their minds riddled with questions about what happened once they reached their destination.

As they headed to the southwest, toward the location of Zekrom's shrine, they left the forest that was so familiar to them behind, and soon found themselves in a somewhat arid region. The road ahead yielded nothing short of mystery for Luke; he had been through the mountains and such, but he had never trekked in this particular direction before. His father, on the other hand, had recognized the barren climate, and as such, volunteered to handle the map.

Though the dryness was weighing on the two adventurers, they did not let it slow them down. Luke and Blaze made a brief stop in a bit of shade they found to take a note of where they were and get a quick lunch, and were on their way. The two ventured onward, and did not stop until the sun had set, leaving Team Fireheart cloaked in the cold desert night.

Once the two had set up their campsite, Luke and Blaze sat down and gazed at the beautiful display above them. The moon shone warmly and the stars glistened like an infinite number of beacons, comforting the team's doubts and allowing them a chance to relax after the stress and panic they, as many of their comrades, endured.

Luke returned his gaze to the crackling fire, reflecting on the events of that single day. Within the span of a few weeks or so, he was now thrust into a "save the world" kind of situation, and with the assistance of an old book and his own determination, found himself cast in the role of a hero. At this point, Luke's feelings of anxiety had returned. He had wanted to be a hero, but he had no idea he would end up reliving an ancient legend. Silently, he chastised himself for speaking out the way he did, thinking that he should've let one of the more experienced teams wake Zekrom. After a long time of this pondering, Luke could no longer contain his emotions; as he stared at the campfire, tears began flowing from his eyes. After gathering a wave of courage, Luke cleared his throat, wiped his eyes, and called his father.

"Dad…?" he whispered.

"What is it, son?" Blaze calmly replied.

Luke took a few moments to voice his concerns, pausing every so often to regain his composure. When he had finished, he went back to silently gazing at the fire.

"Son…" Blaze began. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. Your fears are well understood; the stress of all of what's been happening lately is catching up to all of us. I'm pretty nervous about the crisis with Reshiram, just as you are. The impending battle is…highly unnerving, to say the least. Just remember that, as hopeless as things may seem, we are a team, and we will pull through this, even if we have to take a few detours along the way." When Blaze finished, he managed a weak smile.

"But dad… Seeking out Zekrom was my decision. In my frustration, I volunteered to do the impossible," Luke said, tearfully. "So if this mission turns out to be a failure, it'll be my fault."

"Luke…" Blaze took a seat next to his son, and gently pulled him close. "You did ultimately volunteer to seek out Zekrom, but what other choice was there? It was a difficult decision, but it was one that had to be made; someone had to go look for Zekrom, and that someone happened to be you. You have nothing to regret. Though the journey will be tough, you have me right here with you, and you have the support of our fellow rescuers. They all believe in you, and so do I. As we are a team, we are in this together. You may have made what seemed like a hasty decision, but in doing so, you reminded everyone what is at stake, and consequently, gained their support."

Luke could only weep as his father continued to silently comfort him; as much as he wanted to say, there were no words that could convey how grateful he was to have his father there with him at that moment, and there were no words that could express how sorry he was to have doubted himself and everyone around him. Luke continued to cry until he could cry no more.

"Thank you so very much, father," Luke whispered once he was calm.

"You are most welcome, son," Blaze replied with a smile.

Moments later, Luke was asleep. Blaze gently laid his son by the fire, and after laying next to him, he was asleep as well.

The next morning came, and the two were up and ready to go. After readying the map, they continued on the path they had started the previous day. The trip was uneventful, but Luke was feeling much more confident now, thanks to the conversation from the previous night. They walked briskly, hoping to make a reasonable pace; at the very least, neither of them wanted to prolong their time in the desert that surrounded them any more than necessary.

They were thankful they had thought to start walking at the brink of dawn; the coolness had provided reasonable comfort amidst the plainness of the desert. Their comfort would not last, however; before long, the sun had risen, and the kind of heat for which the desert is known weighed on them without mercy. Blaze, being a Fire-type, was mostly unfazed. Unfortunately, this was not the case for Luke; though he was somewhat accustomed to harsh elements, the desert heat was bearing down on him, and soon, he was forced to slow his pace. As there was no shade, Luke and Blaze were forced to press on against the discomfort and exhaustion they were now feeling.

Their perseverance was rewarded; by the middle of the day, they were closing in on the end of the desert. Before long, they could see mountains in the distance. Team Fireheart, having its morale boosted by this pleasant turn of events, regained its quickened pace, and was soon out of the desert. Having the arid wasteland behind them, Luke and Blaze took a moment to recover before pressing on.

As they approached the mountains, confirming they were taking the right path, Luke couldn't help but comment on the situation.

"According to the map, we are supposed to be crossing the mountains, right?"

"That's right," Blaze confirmed.

"That seems odd, considering that Zekrom's shrine is underground."

"It'll be a while before we actually get there. After we cross the mountains, there's at least one or two towns we have to cut through before we get close, as well as a lot of forest area. Assuming I'm not misreading anything here, it looks like the road ahead is a relatively smooth one, aside from the mountains and forests."

"So basically, the journey will be a long one, but not overly difficult," Luke summarized.

Blaze nodded, and the two prepared themselves for the uphill climb; the incline was initially subtle, but that didn't last for long as the adventurers forged ahead. After conquering the steep hill, the ground leveled itself out, giving Team Fireheart a slight reprieve. Unfortunately, the team was now faced with a new obstacle: the terrain ahead of them was a natural maze that was not visibly marked on their map. Having to navigate the labyrinth of rocks slowed their progress to a crawl; they reached one dead end after another and couldn't help but feel discouraged. Not wanting to give up, they devised a system to mark where they had already been, and before long, they were on the other side of the maze. Desperate to make up for lost time, they quickened their pace once again, and did not stop until they were over the mountains. Darkness had already fallen by this point, so once the opportunity presented itself, they set up camp for the night.

Upon the start of the third day, they began just as they did the morning before: get an early start in an effort to cover a significant amount of ground. As they walked, they found themselves surrounded by trees of various kinds.

"How beautiful…" Luke remarked upon noticing the variety of plant life in the area.

"Yes. Beautiful, indeed," Blaze agreed, nodding.

Another glance at the map had revealed that the forest stretched on for miles, with a small town somewhere in the middle of the path Team Fireheart followed. Knowing they'd be in the forest for a while, Luke and Blaze established a routine for that segment of the journey: start traveling at dawn, take a break around midday, and set up camp upon nightfall. After three days in the forest, they had finally arrived at the town marked on the map.

A sign marked "Welcome to Sunny Town!" greeted Luke and Blaze as they entered the town. The two were in awe at the scenery: the town bustled with excitement, and even though they had reached civilization, the forest was still present. The scent of the pine trees and oak trees filled the air with a calming aroma that echoed the words printed on the sign at the town entrance. When the initial shock had subsided, Luke and Blaze went to introduce themselves to some of Sunny Town's inhabitants.

"Hey!" Luke called out to a group of young Pokémon consisting of a Pidgey, an Oddish, and a Rattata.

Upon hearing that, the three ceased their activity as Luke approached. Sensing their concern, Luke introduced himself and his father. The three children smiled when they were sure the two travelers would not harm them.

"Hi! My name's Ken!" the Pidgey exclaimed.

"I'm Summer," the Oddish said, shyly.

"My name's Cain. Nice to meet you guys!" the Rattata said, politely.

"Good to meet you as well," Blaze responded. "We're on a quest of sorts, and at this point, we've been traveling for nearly a week. We were wondering if there was a place here where we could rest for a bit."

"You can stay at the inn," Ken replied. "It's over this way. Follow me!"

Luke and Blaze accepted the invitation and followed the young Pidgey and his friends to the Sunny Town Inn. The three young Pokémon left the traveling rescuers after a word of thanks was exchanged. After booking a room, they replenished their supplies, and spent the rest of the day getting to know the residents of Sunny Town.

The next day came, and Team Fireheart was on the move once again. With Sunny Town behind them, Luke and Blaze found themselves surrounded entirely by plant life once again. Falling back to their routine from before, they trekked ahead through the thick forest. After a few more days of traveling, the forest was beginning to fade away, making room for a beautiful meadow filled with flowers of many different colors.

On the other side of the meadow was a simple dirt path flanked by a few flower patches and maybe a couple bushes. Following this path yielded another town: a quiet place known as Serenity Village. Just as they had done back in Sunny Town, Luke and Blaze stopped to replenish their supplies and relax for a bit. The next day, they were on the move again, making note of their progress up to that point.

As they traveled away from Serenity Village, Luke and Blaze were met with yet another scene change. In place of the diverse plant life they had passed prior to this part of their journey, the land was featureless. As they walked, they found a fork in the road. Taking the left path, as indicated by their map, led them to a cave.

Upon entering the cave, Team Fireheart was surrounded by darkness. Blaze pulled out the team's lantern from Luke's backpack, and used his flames to light it. With that done, Blaze took a final look at the map, stating that all they needed to do from that point was to keep moving forward, before folding it and carefully placing it in the backpack.

With the warm glow of the lantern guiding them, Team Fireheart proceeded forward along the dark tunnel. Within a short time, the tunnel had widened to reveal a large cave. Blaze took a look around him, carefully analyzing the dimly-lit room. After returning his gaze to the darkness ahead, Blaze stated his observation: The cave doesn't have any branching paths, so their only option is to continue forward.

After walking for what felt like an eternity, Team Fireheart could see the faint glow of two sky blue gems in the distance. Feeling optimistic about what lie ahead, they quickened their pace slightly and stopped once they reached the makeshift torches, which were the gems they noticed before mounted onto a couple mid-sized sticks. Above the two travelers was a sign illuminated by the glow of the torches reading "Village of Ideals." Steeling themselves for the next part of their quest, Team Fireheart entered the village.


	17. Chapter 17 -- The First Trial

Once Team Fireheart had crossed the threshold, they set out to find the village elder. Not entirely sure where to look, Luke suggested asking the villagers for directions. Blaze nodded in agreement, and he and his son approached the first villager they saw: a lone Gabite. Team Fireheart took some time to introduce themselves and describe the reason for their visit. By a stroke of fortune, the village had heard about the incident regarding Reshiram's shrine and the peril surrounding the village there, and as such, were happy to help in return for the concern and the assistance.

After finding the elder, a Hydreigon named Raylen, Luke and Blaze entered the elder's home and proceeded to fill him in on why they came.

"So, you have come reawaken the Dragon of Ideals?" Raylen asked.

"Yes, sir," Luke answered.

"I admire your courage, young one," Raylen said, calmly.

"Thanks," Luke replied, politely.

"I assume you are aware of what is required to pass Zekrom's test?"

"I am."

"Then follow me." Raylen was the first to leave; Luke and Blaze soon followed.

After passing through a few hidden paths, Team Fireheart was stopped at what almost resembled a large temple. The large black structure was illuminated by a tall torch on each side of the entrance and seemed to emanate an ominous aura. To the edge of each of the shrine's large onyx-colored doors stood a Pokémon whose identity could not be discerned due to the black and lightning blue cloaks they wore. Raylen approached the temple doors and faced the two travelers.

"What you see behind me," he began, "is the shrine in which Zekrom sleeps. It has been a very long time since any Pokémon has proven themselves worthy of being considered a Hero of Ideals. Within these walls, Zekrom awaits one whose intentions and ideals are pure. Now, while you have both come here with the goal of awakening Zekrom, only one may enter the shrine at once. Therefore, one of you will have to remain out here while the other enters."

"In that case," Blaze began, "I shall wait here. Luke, it's up to you. Good luck."

"Thanks," Luke replied as he handed his backpack to his father before approaching Raylen.

"So you shall be the one who enters the shrine?" Raylen asked.

"Yes," Luke replied.

"Very well." He moved a bit closer to Luke. "In that case, approach the shrine, and prepare for the first test—that which will determine if you are worthy to enter its confines."

Luke cleared his throat and nodded respectfully to show he understood, and did as he was instructed once the village elder moved aside. Once he was almost close enough to touch the shrine doors, the two robed figures approached him without missing a beat. _How in the world did they do that?_ Luke wondered.

The figure to Luke's left spoke first. "Before you may enter Zekrom's domain, there are some questions you must answer first. The answers you give us will determine what happens next."

Luke nodded, slightly nervous, yet understanding of this trial.

The other guardian spoke next, presenting Luke with the first question. "What is your reason for seeking out Zekrom's power?"

Luke cleared his throat before answering. "My reason for seeking out Zekrom is to help Reshiram. I wish to use Zekrom's power to calm the Dragon of Truth."

The first guardian presented the next question. What would you do with Zekrom's power if you were to receive it?"

"If I were to receive this power," Luke began, proudly, "I would confront Reshiram, and help her see the truth in what she has caused, and with the help of others, I would rebuild the village and the shrine that Reshiram calls home."

The second guardian acknowledged prior Luke's answers, leading to the third question. "You have given your reason for wanting the power. You wish to use the power contained within this shrine to help those who have been rendered homeless by the recent disasters. What sort of ideals do you pursue, beyond the answers you have given us already?"

"My ideals are to help those in need. To that end, it is my dream to help those in need. That is why I have come; to pursue my ideals of helping Pokémon in need. This is something that must be done, no matter what the risk happens to be." Luke answered.

"You have answered my questions truthfully and without hesitation," the twin guardians observed. "You have spoken from your heart, and as such, you have convinced us of your ideals. You have convinced us that your intentions are pure. Now, you must present this conviction to Zekrom. You must convince him of your ideals and your intentions."

After the guardians silently nodded to Raylen, they deftly moved away from the shrine doors. Getting the hint, Luke took a step back. Almost immediately after this occurrence, Raylen gave a loud cry, and the doors opened with a loud echo.

"Young Luke, you may enter the shrine," the elder called out. "Pass through these doors, and do not stop until you reach the center of the shrine."

"Thank you very much, sir," Luke said, bowing respectfully to Raylen before approaching the doorway.

Raylen returned the polite gesture and motioned toward the doors that now stood open.

After taking a deep breath, Luke took a step inside. Regaining his courage with each passing moment, Luke continued his slow stride forward until he was inside the shrine. He took a quick look back toward Blaze, and the two smiled at one another. With that, Luke faced forward, and continued walking. As he made his way down the long and dark corridor, Luke was in awe of his new surroundings upon being dwarfed by the massive chamber. Once he reached the center, he stopped and looked around, unable to see anything very well in the darkness.

"Step forward, visitor!" a loud voice echoed, suddenly.

Luke did as instructed, and after taking those final few steps, the shrine doors slammed shut, isolating the young Pokémon from his father.


	18. Chapter 18 -- The True Test of Ideals

_This is it_, Luke thought. _No turning back now._

"Identify yourself!" the voice from before demanded. "Who is it who enters my shrine and wishes to take my test?"

Luke gulped at the imposing presence that filled the room. Trembling, he answered the speaker's question.

"M-my name is Luke."

"I did not hear you," the voice echoed. "State your name, louder this time."

Luke mustered up all the courage he could and made a second attempt at answering the question he was given.

"My name is Luke."

After Luke gave his name, the room was filled with the sound of a loud roar. Suddenly, the room was illuminated by a multitude of flickering blue candles. Luke was thankful for the sudden source of light, but fear was still present in his heart. With the darkness eradicated by the pale blue lights surrounding him, Luke was able to see that he had been speaking to Zekrom from the moment he approached the center of the shrine.

Luke trembled as he took in the sight of the massive black dragon towering over him. Zekrom's gaze met with his own, yet the black dragon's bright red eyes seemed to stare right through him. As visibly terrified as he was by the imposing figure in front of him, Luke made no sound or movement; he did not want to offend or anger such a powerful Pokémon, especially now that he knew what Zekrom was capable of.

Zekrom, seeing Luke trembling before him, spoke, addressing his visitor's worry. "My young visitor, while your fear of me is understandable, you do not have any reason to be concerned. I will not harm you unless I find it necessary to do so."

Luke closed his eyes and took a deep breath in an effort to calm his nerves. This proved to be effective as Luke calmly looked back at Zekrom, the sense of fear he felt having diminished somewhat.

"Luke," Zekrom began, "Why have come here seeking me? What sort of ideals could have led you to me, and to the power that I possess?"

Luke sighed, and returned his gaze to Zekrom; the conviction in his heart had returned as he prepared to relay the events that led him to where he now stood.

"The reason I am here…" Luke whispered. "The set of ideals that led me to this shrine, and to you and your power is something that means a great deal to me."

"Explain this," Zekrom replied.

"A dream I have had since I was little was to help others. For a few years now, I have been able to do that by becoming a Pokémon Rescuer. For a little while now, there have been a number of earthquakes happening all over the place. At first, they were minor, but over time, they grew more and more severe. The aftermath of one of these earthquakes is the reason I am here now, as it goes along with my dream to help those in need." Luke took a deep breath as he prepared to deliver the grim news regarding Reshiram.

"The latest earthquake leveled an entire village, and the aftershock that followed basically ensured there was nothing left standing. While that in of itself is bad enough, it gets much worse, I'm afraid. In addition to the village being destroyed, the shrine that the village guarded for many years was also destroyed." Zekrom's eyes widened out of curiosity, though he said nothing as Luke continued.

"What I am about to tell you is extremely painful for me, and I have no doubt that it will be even more painful for you to hear; for that, I am truly sorry. The village, and the shrine in question… The village is the Village of Truth, and the shrine there… It was Reshiram's…" Luke's voice cut off abruptly as tears formed in his eyes. He wiped the tears away before continuing.

"I'm sorry about that. Anyway, not only was Reshiram's shrine—her home—completely destroyed, but because of the disaster, Reshiram was woken up. When she saw the damage done, she just flew into a blind rage and started attacking the village, blaming the villagers for what happened. Many of my fellow Rescuers are already there assisting the villagers in any way they can, but none of us are strong enough to take Reshiram on, especially now. The thing is, we just need to convince her to calm down and understand that the villagers had nothing to do with the shrine's destruction."

"Between myself and the others that stayed behind, we had a decent amount of information about Reshiram. We knew how kind she is said to be, how strong she can be when necessary, and a list of other things. We just didn't know how to go about calming her, so we went to our agency's library for some more information. One of the things we had considered before this was to go and talk to Reshiram ourselves, but with the state she's in now, the situation would be a hopeless one; we figured the library would yield a more profitable solution. When we were browsing through the library I came across a book that talked about you and Reshiram."

Luke paused to collect his thoughts and to ensure Zekrom was following his explanation. After a respectful nod from Zekrom, Luke continued his explanation.

"We looked through the book, and found some other information about Reshiram. Eventually, we found some information about you. We read about how both of you had lent your powers to one you deemed worthy, but ended up being forced to fight one another. That war destroyed everything, and when everyone saw what the fighting had caused, they set aside their differences and worked together to rebuild everything. After that, the shrines were built, and you and Reshiram hid within them to prevent that sort of disaster from happening again. Because of the war, some of my comrades didn't want to resort to waking you up, out of fear of the potential destruction a clash between you two could cause."

"The reason I am here is because I need your help to calm Reshiram. There is no other way to resolve this; you are the only one strong enough to stand against Reshiram, Zekrom. She needs you, those villagers need you, and I need you. We need your help to resolve this tragedy. Otherwise, we're all doomed; not just that one village. To summarize what I've said, my ideals are to help Reshiram and to help those villagers. I can't do that without your power, Zekrom, so I am begging for your help; at least think about what I've told you."

Zekrom did as he was requested; the powerful Dragon-type closed his eyes and crossed his arms while he pondered the answers to his questions, and to that end, the unfortunate news he had just received. Luke stood patiently as he awaited the dragon's response.


	19. Chapter 19 -- A New Hero

A few long moments passed as Zekrom thought, almost in a state of mediation, about Luke's words. This sort of thing was indeed difficult to hear, just as the black dragon had been warned, yet it was also hard to believe. Even so, there was no way Luke could be lying; he explicitly stated that he knew about Reshiram's true nature, so what reason would he have for lying about something so important. Why would he say such harsh words if they weren't true? When Zekrom had thought everything through carefully, he opened his eyes and looked back down at Luke, ready to give the young Pokémon a verdict on whether or not he would accept the plea for help, and grant his power to the Pokémon standing before him.

Without a word, Zekrom shifted slightly. Luke took a step back to grant the dragon room to move. To Luke's surprise, Zekrom knelt down before Luke, placing the two at eye level. Luke was unsure of what to expect as the black dragon stared at him silently. He could see his reflection in Zekrom's bright red eyes, the expression of terror he currently wore staring right back at him. However, he noticed something different: Zekrom's gaze seemed a bit softer that before. The ferocity of a Dragon-type was still there, but there was a sort of calmness mixed in.

"Luke," Zekrom began, softly, "You answered the questions I presented to you, and I listened to what you had to say. I have thought about the answers you gave me very carefully, and as I listened and pondered everything, I truly believe that you spoke the truth in your explanation. That is something that Reshiram would admire. I also believe that you spoke from your heart. The words you spoke were indeed sincere. So, for that…I thank you."

"Thank you, Zekrom," Luke replied.

"The thing is…" Zekrom whispered, "this is a lot to take in. Reshiram is not the kind of Pokémon to give into rage like this. She would never senselessly destroy a village or whatever without reason. Luke, I ask your forgiveness for my…minor disbelief toward this. It does sadden me that her home was destroyed as you described. However…"

"It's fine, Zekrom," Luke said, calmly reassuring the black dragon.

"It saddens me further that she would allow her heart to be consumed by such dark emotions as grief and anger. My…sister… Why…? How could something so horrible happen to her…?"

"I…don't know," Luke softly replied.

His heart filled with gratitude and pride, Zekrom silently lifted an arm, gently resting his clawed hand on Luke's shoulder. This sudden gesture, as well as the prior conversation, had fully eliminated all traces of fear that Luke had toward Zekrom.

"Luke," Zekrom calmly began, "I will share my strength with you. I am proud to grant you my power. Also…I wish to thank you for being so concerned about Reshiram. Luke, I thank you from the bottom of heart for this. My sister means a great deal to me, so learning of what has befallen her breaks my heart immensely. Knowing that you would go to such great lengths for something like this… I can't thank you enough, Luke."

"It's no trouble at all, Zekrom," Luke responded, politely. "A major part of what I do as a Pokémon Rescuer is helping those in need. But even if I hadn't become a Rescuer, I still think it's important to help in any way I can. The most important thing for me is doing what's right. In this case, that happens to be helping Reshiram calm down, and rebuilding the village and the shrine."

Zekrom managed a smile in response to Luke's declaration, and tears now flowed from his eyes; this had surprised Luke to a degree.

"Luke… My friend… Thank you so much. It fills me with so much pride and gratitude being able to meet someone like you. Thank you for your concern toward Reshiram, and thank you for having such noble ideals. Don't ever lose your conviction; it'll take you far in life." As he finished his words of gratitude, he gently pulled Luke toward him, enveloping the newly-christened Hero of Ideals within a calming and protective embrace.

Luke, at a loss for words toward this development, merely returned the gesture. With a smile on his face, the young adventurer proudly shared his new friend's embrace with a new-found sense of optimism in his heart. Some time later, Zekrom was calm once again, and when he and Luke were at peace, the black dragon returned to his feet.

"Brace yourself, Luke," Zekrom warned.

Luke, somewhat prepared for whatever was about to happen, took a few steps back. Once he had done so, Zekrom let forth a power-filled roar skyward. When the sounds of that roar had faded, the shrine doors had opened once again, and the room was engulfed in the darkness from before.

"Luke, return to the entrance and wait outside. I will join you shortly," Zekrom commanded.

Luke wordlessly obeyed, and as soon as he was outside, he described his encounter with Zekrom, proudly declaring that he was deemed worthy. Moments after Luke had departed the shrine, a mighty roar filled the cave, and with a flash of lightning and a blast of thunder, Zekrom stood majestically before them all.

Raylen was overcome with a great sense of pride; unable to say anything, he wept, his heart filled with an unspeakable sense of joy as he gazed upon Zekrom's majestic black form. Luke, on the other hand, stood proudly as he witnessed the awe-inspiring display unfold.

Blaze, filled with pride just as Raylen was, excitedly pulled his son into heartfelt embrace. The gesture was happily returned. As Blaze held his son close, he whispered a sincere message to him.

"My son, there are no words that can express how proud I am of you right now. You said you would be the one to awaken Zekrom, and it turns out you were right. Zekrom has chosen you to be the new Hero of Ideals. This is a huge responsibility, so don't let it fade away. Also, don't ever forget that we are all counting on you, son. I wish you the best of luck on this mission, and though I know you'll be able to take care of yourself out there, I want you to be careful."

"Don't worry, dad," Luke replied. "I promise I'll be careful, and I will return once this is over. I'll come back as soon as I can."

After releasing his son, Blaze called over to Zekrom.

"Zekrom, please take of my son."

"I will," Zekrom proudly replied.

With that, Zekrom crouched down so Luke could climb aboard. Once Luke had comfortably secured himself upon Zekrom's back, the two departed skyward in a flash of lightning.


	20. Chapter 20 -- Desperate for the Truth

As the two Pokémon—Zekrom, the Dragon of Ideals, and Luke, the recently-christened Hero of Ideals—made their way toward the region Reshiram called home, both kept up their guard. Focused on the grim task that faced them, this new team cast a critical gaze over their surroundings, mentally steeling themselves for the unknown and bracing themselves for any sort of sneak attack.

It had taken virtually no time at all for Zekrom to transport himself and Luke from the shrine in the cave to their present location: a somewhat arid highland region. To be exact, it had only taken maybe a half of an hour for Zekrom to fly from his shrine to where they were now, even with Luke seated on his back. All around the two Pokémon, some barren mountains and a canvas of trees below dotted the landscape. Barreling toward the upcoming confrontation, neither said a word in their high state of tension. However, each was tense for their own reasons.

Luke, desperate to end the crisis as soon as possible, was fully afraid to see the exact extent of Reshiram's wrath, yet knew that he needed to face it and make everything right regardless of what it took. As soon as Zekrom accepted him as the new Hero of Ideals, Luke accepted a burden that weighed heavily on his shoulders…and his heart: the lives of countless Pokémon—especially Reshiram—and potentially the world itself. That much he knew, and he had no intention of turning away from it.

Zekrom, on the other hand, wept bitterly within his heart. The source of the black dragon's tension came from the grim news he had recently received. His sister was, at present, no longer the kindhearted Dragon of Truth everyone had come to revere, but a raging monster needlessly attacking innocent Pokémon without mercy or sympathy. The tension was at a breaking point for Zekrom as he thought about the heartbreaking path the journey could potentially take: one that would force him into battle against his beloved sister—a Pokémon who is, in a way, a part of him… No good would emerge from such a sad ending, and he knew it and heavily despised it.

After minutes of flying over the highlands below, the sky turned black and below were the scattered and charred remains of a forest. The two were utterly horrified as they surveyed the scene of pure hopelessness they had discovered; Zekrom, unable to contain his grief toward the wasteland created by his sister, openly wept as he witnessed the aftermath of Reshiram's misguided rage. Managing his heartbreak as much as he could, Zekrom forged ahead toward the remnants of the shrine and the village that had protected it for so long.

Brief moments after seeing what used to be an expansive forest, Luke and Zekrom had spotted the Village of Truth. The once-proud village was a pitiful mass of debris and the wreckage of Reshiram's shrine had mixed in with it, the site now a mass of hopes and dreams shattered by freak natural disasters and misdirected blame.

"Zekrom…" Luke spoke, pulling the black dragon back into focus. "From where we are now, I can't tell if anyone made it out of there alive, but for now, I'll just assume that the other teams from the agency I'm a part of made it here, and relocated the village's residents to a safer place. One way or another, we've found our target. The shrine's right there; let's go." It was clear that he was fighting desperately to maintain his composure, but inwardly, he had already lost. After making that last statement with a subtle hint of malice, Luke was deathly silent, a look of fierce determination now adorning the weathered Lucario's face.

Wordlessly, Zekrom nodded and obeyed his friend's request, the tears still flowing freely from his eyes. The shrine was still some distance below the two Pokémon, but that gap was quickly being closed by the black dragon's speed. They had arrived… However, they were far from ready. Even as they were feet, and finally mere inches, away from what had once been Reshiram's home, a wave of apprehension overcame Luke and Zekrom. They knew what they had to do, and neither of them liked it, as they both knew how fragile—and to a disturbing end, Reshiram herself—the situation was.

When Zekrom had brought them close enough to the shrine, Luke spoke again.

"Zekrom, let's hurry and find a place to land so we can get this mess straightened out. Neither of us are too pleased with the current events, but that's why we're here—Reshiram needs to understand the severity of what she's done. The sooner we land, the sooner we can confront Reshiram and get some answers, and hopefully—" Luke's remarks were cut short as the Dragon of Ideals found an adequate landing spot, and shook the ground with a, potentially deliberate, rough landing. There was a short quake as Zekrom seemed to kick the ground in his descent, and Luke thought to call him out on it—only to have the heartbroken Dragon-type address it instead.

"Just as you are no doubt wondering," Zekrom began, his voice quavering, "I am suffering right now. You are right in saying that neither of us are happy about what's happened, and that we both wish to get this behind us as quickly as possible, but from what you have already told me, and from what I have seen with my own eyes, it will not be as easy as you imply it to be. Sure, while we can get Reshiram's attention, and beg her to settle down…" His voice trailed off; Luke took this opportunity to respond to his friend's comments.

"I know what you're getting at, Zekrom. Just like you, I am desperately hoping and praying that it doesn't take that turn for the worse… I am forcing myself to remain optimistic about this whole situation." Luke's composure broke as the weight of the crisis hung over him.

The two stood on the cliff without saying a word; Luke cried while Zekrom painfully took in the remains of what had once been his sister's home. After a while, the two were calm once again, and Zekrom took the opportunity to break the silence.

"Luke, I know you're assuming that the residents of the village were escorted to safety, but maybe you should take a look around, just to be absolutely certain."

"Very well," Luke replied with a nod.

Zekrom shifted his posture to allow his friend to dismount, then turned back and stared at the horizon after Luke stepped toward the shrine. While Luke silently searched the immediate area for any signs of life, Zekrom pensively maintained his solemn gaze upon the horizon, and the subdued sunlight in the distance. After several long moments of this form of meditation, Zekrom finally broke, unable to hide the wealth of emotions in his heart. At first, he meekly cried tears of sorrow before the dam that was the black dragon's will finally collapsed entirely, and his painful cries of grief became mixed with pleas and vows.

"RESHIRAM!" Zekrom cried; this jolted Luke out of his prior thoughts, and he turned his attention toward the black dragon, now frozen in place by the sudden outburst he was not expecting.

"RESHIRAM!" Zekrom cried again, a bit louder and more frantic this time. "WHERE ARE YOU?! SHOW YOURSELF! NOW!" Zekrom wept bitterly as he hysterically shouted at the sky, calling for his sister. "EXPLAIN YOURSELF! HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY WOULD YOU EVER DO SOMETHING SO HORRIBLE?!" Zekrom wordlessly wept as his previous exclamations echoed on the wind.

As he watched his friend's outburst, Luke couldn't help but weep for his friend, feeling absolutely powerless to comfort him.

"RESHIRAM!" Zekrom exclaimed once again. "PLEASE LISTEN TO ME! I BEG YOU…WITH EVERY CHAMBER OF MY HEART… PLEASE… PLEASE DON'T BLAME THE VILLAGERS! THEY'VE DONE NOTHING TO HURT YOU! FOR COUNTLESS GENERATIONS, THEY'VE LOOKED UP TO YOU, AND REVERED YOU—THEY WORSHIPPED YOU! DON'T BLAME THEM FOR SOMETHING THAT'S OUT OF THEIR CONTROL! IT WASN'T THEIR FAULT… Whatever I have to do to get to the bottom of this…" He wept hysterically as his pleas once again echoed on the wind. After what had felt like an eternity, both Luke and Zekrom were calm again, bathing the tense atmosphere in a new sense of grave silence.

Suddenly, the solemn atmosphere was pierced by the shrill echo of a loud roar, jolting the two Pokémon's gazes skyward.


	21. Chapter 21 -- Reshiram!

The source of the echoing roar was soon made apparent as the feathery white form of a dragon landed on the cliff with a resounding crash. Luke and Zekrom cautiously stepped away from the cliff as they were suddenly joined by the one they had been searching for.

"Reshiram…" Luke solemnly whispered.

The white dragon glared at the two Pokémon before her with a sense of malice.

Zekrom was paralyzed with grief as he stared into the eyes of his dearly beloved sister. After several long moments of this, that sense of grief became melded with a stark hint of fear as he noticed Reshiram's eyes. The beautiful sky blue that normally filled them was replaced with an unnerving shade of blood red, all hint of emotion having been replaced accordingly.

After the two stared at one another for what felt like hours, Zekrom regained the ability to speak.

"Reshiram…" he quietly began. "Please tell me, and my friend, why you would mercilessly attack a village that had just been ravaged by a natural disaster. Why would you cause so much pain and suffering for those who are already making an effort to rebuild their homes and their lives? The Pokémon that lived on these mountains dedicated their lives to protecting your home and looking up to you as though you were a god. You were worshiped, just as I was and still am. So tell me…sister…" He let out a mournful sigh. "How could you ever think to do something so despicable?"

With that, Zekrom fell silent again, and the atmosphere was filled with a grave degree of tension.

"Reshiram?" Zekrom asked, tears filling his eyes again. "Reshiram, please… Please answer me… I need to know why you're doing this. Anything that would explain your reasoning for these baseless accusations… I need you to tell me…" Zekrom's voice trailed off as he cried. "I'm begging you, my sister… Please tell me why you would ever believe that the ones who loved and protected you would ever wish harm upon you or your home."

As he finished pleading with the white dragon, Zekrom calmly wiped the tears away from his eyes. As desperate as Zekrom was for an explanation for Reshiram's recent actions, that wasn't what the black dragon received. In response to the heartfelt pleas, Reshiram let out an earsplitting cry as she swiped at Zekrom with her claws. Amidst the surprise, Zekrom deftly dodged the attack and moved back, suddenly finding himself by the remnants of Reshiram's shrine.

Seeing the display was too much to handle for Luke. Upon witnessing his friend's words being so harshly ignored, the young Lucario bravely stepped toward the fierce white dragon towering above him.

"Reshiram…" Luke began, his gaze now fixed upward. "Just what do you think you're doing? We're all upset about the earthquakes that destroyed this place, but that doesn't give you the right to level everything and everyone in your path!" He took a moment to collect his thoughts and level his rising anger.

"Reshiram, you're a much better Pokémon than this! You're kind, beautiful, and strong. Many Pokémon revere you and respect you, just as Zekrom said before. You're described in legends; everyone knows who you are! I get that you're upset about losing your home and everything, but the villagers had nothing to do with that, so your response to the disaster—your sudden decision to make it all worse for everyone—was nothing short of immature and insensitive!" Luke took care to place specific emphasis on that last statement as he finished his remarks. "It shouldn't need to be said, but here goes: your brother deserves an explanation for all of this.

Just as with Zekrom's pleas, Reshiram heartlessly disregarded Luke's comments with a surprise attack, this time sending a massive stream of fire toward her source of annoyance. Fortunately, Luke was able to dodge the flames at the last second, deftly sprinting toward Zekrom. At that split second, the truth of the situation settled into the hearts of both Luke and Zekrom: talking wasn't getting them anywhere, so a fight was their only chance to snap the white dragon back to reality.

Luke turned and gazed at Zekrom with a look of determination on his face; deep down, he knew there was bound to be a fight, yet he had hoped something like this could've been resolved peacefully. The black dragon returned his friend's gaze, but a look of fear and grief was evident in his red eyes. Wordlessly, the two stood there, and thought about what they had to do. Luke was the first to break the painful silence.

"Zekrom, I know you don't want to do this," Luke said with a sigh, "but we have no choice. We both know what happened the last time you to fought like this." Zekrom nodded. "But trust me when I say this: neither of us want a repeat of the legendary war, but things will be worse off if we don't do anything at all. There are lives at stake, and we have no other choice but to fight. It's the last chance we have to get Reshiram to see the truth."

"I understand that completely, Luke," Zekrom said, "but she's my sister. You know how much she means to me. It isn't just about the war we fought in the past; she's a part of me, so when I harm her, it's like I'm harming myself. This is a very painful situation for me to be in, regardless of the time, place, or who I have fighting alongside me."

"My apologies," Luke said, bowing his head sadly.

"Fear not, friend," Zekrom replied. "We both know what is at stake, and we both know what we must do. Neither of us wanted this, but being a hero is never easy."

"My father liked to say that," Luke mused.

Managing a faint smile toward his friend, Zekrom faced his sister once again.

"Reshiram, I know you can hear me, and I know you can hear my friend as well." His words were met with silence. "I know you're not yourself at the moment, and because of…unfortunate circumstances, you've endangered the lives of countless innocent Pokémon, and in one fell swoop you've rendered them all homeless. You've even brushed off our efforts to reason with you, to be polite to you, and have redirected your anger toward us. Luke and I have both tried to get an answer for what happened here, but you've shown us no intention of giving one." Zekrom's voice slightly wavered as he maintained the coldness he suddenly possessed; the black dragon knew what he wanted to say—what he had to say—and his heart was visibly breaking because of it. With a heavy sigh, he continued.

"I love you more than anything, sister, and it breaks my heart more than I can truly express to see you like this—broken down and filled with absolute hatred. It is because of that love that I have aligned myself with Luke, and it is that same love that brought me here. It is also because of my love for you, sister, that I am now forced to do something I desperately hoped I wouldn't have to. With all other options exhausted, I must challenge you to a battle. It is my utmost wish that this battle will allow you to see reason, and be aware of the destruction you have created."

Reshiram was clearly listening, but made no sound or expression; it was as though the white dragon was little more than a living wall—able to hear, yet unable to respond. What Zekrom had said was heard by the legendary Dragon-type, but all three Pokémon remained silent. The challenge to battle had been issued; the question now was whether the challenge would be accepted or not.

That question was abruptly answered with another sharp cry from Reshiram, and a massive flamethrower toward the sky. Receiving the message, Luke deftly took his place aboard Zekrom's back as he had before. In a flash of fire and electricity, the two dragons were airborne and the battle began.


	22. Chapter 22 -- Battle for the Truth

The fight started with little more than a test of strength; Reshiram crashed into Zekrom in an effort to knock him out of the sky, but he relented against his sister's efforts. Soon, the two were locked in a bit of a stalemate: they stood in the sky, hand in hand and glaring at one another, each combatant attempting to slowly wear down the other.

"Reshiram!" Luke shouted over the commotion. "Listen to me! You don't have to do this. I know that, in your heart, you don't want to do this… You don't want to fight someone who is essentially a part of you. Zekrom and I only wanted the truth. You're supposed to embody truth itself, yet you choose to allow yourself to be consumed by a lie."

Luke's words were met by a roar and a sudden jolt; in another attempt to throw Zekrom out of the sky, Reshiram had also shown intent to send the younger Pokémon rocketing toward the ground.

The grasp Reshiram and Zekrom were locked in was broken, and the battle of physical strength turned into an onslaught of attacks. Reshiram sent wave after wave of flames toward her opponent—seeing that Luke was merely along for the ride, Reshiram considered him a pest rather than a real opponent—and he dodged each one and countered with his own barrage of lightning-based attacks. The exchange was a demanding one; Luke had to exert just about all he had in an effort to prevent himself from being thrown off.

"Sister, please—!" Zekrom cried as he just narrowly dodged another flamethrower from Reshiram.

The situation was quickly going from bad to worse. The fight had raged on for nearly an hour already, and it showed. Both Reshiram and Zekrom had scratches and burn marks from the frantic exchange of physical and special attacks. The two dragons had exerted their full strength during the fight; Zekrom, however, was running on fumes. As hard as Zekrom fought, Reshiram was able to return the assault many times over, and fatigue was beginning to wear on the black dragon.

To the horror of both Luke and Zekrom, Reshiram was still able to keep fighting relentlessly, fueled by grief and rage. According to the legends, both Dragon-type Pokémon were said to be equal in strength, but that grief and rage that now filled the white dragon's heart pushed her onward, no matter how much damage she sustained; the scratches and burns did nothing to slow her down, and Reshiram showed no signs of fatigue or surrender.

Zekrom continued to fight back against his sister's merciless onslaught, echoing her attacks with his own, but he was running out of strength rapidly. Luke fared better than his companion, but only by a dangerously slim margin. The nauseating movements the black dragon had to make in order to keep up the fight wore on Luke relentlessly, and the traces of fire that happened to hit the young hero were excruciating; that combined with the grip Luke had to assume to prevent himself from being thrown off of Zekrom's back quickly made the whole ordeal highly unbearable.

Try as he might to keep in the fight, Zekrom was overwhelmed; at this point, he barely had the strength to fly. Reshiram's movements were next to untraceable from Zekrom's point of view, making the occasional last-second dodges the only thing the black dragon could manage. Ultimately, not even dodging worked. With a surprise blast of fire from behind, the battle was now over, ended just as swiftly as it began.

Luke was forced to cling to Zekrom with every last bit of strength he had left as the two rocketed toward the ruined forest below. Reshiram, still somehow untouched by the fatigue of battle and unfazed by the wounds covering her majestic white form in a sad parody of the truth she represented, let loose a cry that filled the pitiful mountain scene with its eerie echo accompanied by another skyward flamethrower, the entire scene representing a twisted celebration of the white dragon's victory.

As Luke and Zekrom barreled toward the rapidly approaching forest canopy, their thoughts wondered. Zekrom feared for Reshiram's well-being and wished for everything to be normal again, while Luke reminded himself of his mission and the vow he made to Zekrom. More than anything currently facing him, however, Luke's thoughts drifted toward memories of his family and friends; all the time he spent wishing to be a hero, the time he spent preparing to fulfill his dream, and the recent events that led him to befriending the legendary Zekrom and confronting Reshiram. He had a lot that still needed to happen, yet the chance of success was fading quickly.

_Dad… Zekrom… Everyone… I'm sorry…_ Luke's eyes watered as the apology crossed his thoughts. _I'm sorry I failed you. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get through to Reshiram… I'm sorry I wasn't able to keep my word and save all of you._

Time seemed to stop as the two Pokémon fell uninterrupted; Luke himself had no idea of how long he and Zekrom had been falling. One thing was certain, however: Luke was exhausted from that day's events, and was losing his grip on Zekrom. Before long, Luke was unable to focus on much of anything, and soon, his grip on Zekrom was lost entirely, allowing gravity to take over.

Zekrom noticed his friend's barely-conscious form falling faster and faster, but his body refused to cooperate; he had exhausted every last trace of strength he had, and the wounds covering his body paralyzed him with pain.

In his daze, Luke was unable to appropriately prepare himself for any sort of crash landing. With gravity continuing its hold on Luke, the young Lucario painfully crashed through the trees, hitting the ground below with a forceful thud. Zekrom landed just seconds after Luke did, the trees breaking the black dragon's fall snapping like toothpicks as he crashed through them. Zekrom landed mere inches from Luke, hitting the ground with a much harder impact than his friend due to his much larger stature.

The two Pokémon, Luke and Zekrom, fully overcome with the pain and fatigue of the battle they had endured and the catastrophic drop they had been forced into and the stress and grief of the events leading up to said battle, blacked out, unable to move… unable to speak…unable to think…while Reshiram left the scene in victory.


	23. Chapter 23 -- A Promise Borne of Trust

Many long moments had passed by the two Pokémon lying on the forest floor, broken in more ways than one by the terrible ordeal they had unexpectedly been thrust into. Finally, one of the two had regained the strength to act.

_What…happened…?_ Luke thought as he slowly opened his eyes. He stared skyward, wondering about the events that had transpired only moments ago. His initial attempts at movement were met with an intense wave of pain, so instead, he laid there and let his mind wander.

_Am I really alive? After all that we went through…_ Luke's voice trailed off at the recollection of the battle against Reshiram. Suddenly, his thoughts darted toward his friend.

_Zekrom!_ his thoughts began. _I have to see if he's alright!_ Fighting through the intense pain washing over his body, Luke managed to sit up. Laying a short distance away was the black dragon, broken immensely by the legendary clash he was forced to endure.

As Luke forced himself to stand, tears began flowing from his eyes; not tears of pain, but tears of grief—grief over what had befallen the two dragons.

"Ze…krom…" Luke managed, still struggling to get to his feet. He gazed at Zekrom's injured form and cried. There were burn marks and deep cuts all over the black dragon's body, and no doubt there were quite a few broken bones from the tremendous fall. One painful step at a time, Luke began the arduous trek toward his friend.

"Zekrom… You have to be alright… You have to pull through this…" With that last statement, Luke had made it to his injured friend…and immediately fell to his knees and wept; seeing no immediate signs of life in the legendary Dragon-type, Luke feared the worst.

"Zekrom! Stay with me!" Luke begged. "Zekrom! Zekrom, please—! Please, wake up!"

After what felt like an eternity, the black dragon stirred. Slowly, Zekrom opened his eyes.

"Luke…" he whispered.

Luke eased slightly upon noticing that his friend was awake. "That's better…"

"Luke…I can't move…" Zekrom managed, forcing his words through the pain he was in.

"Zekrom, come on. Stay with me, friend. You can't give up! We can still find a way to resolve this mess!" Luke cried.

"Luke, everything will be fine," Zekrom said, reassuringly. "Even though we lost this battle, we will find a way to calm my sister's rage. No matter how dark things get, we will be successful."

"I highly doubt that… Look at yourself, and look at me. We'll need a miracle to pull things together."

"I understand your concern, Luke. However, you must trust me. Trust what I am saying to you; while it may seem impossible, you will find a way through this. Do you trust me, friend?"

"I trust you."

"Thank you, Luke. I have a favor to ask of you."

"Anything…for a friend."

Suddenly, Zekrom began crying. "You have to save her, Luke. You have to save my sister, no matter what you must do. Save Reshiram, and in doing so, you will save the world!" Zekrom fought against the bitter elements to make that last statement; he was running out of time, and he knew it.

"I promise… I promise that I will save Reshiram. I don't know exactly how I'll manage, but I trust your judgment, Zekrom. I don't possess the level of strength you or Reshiram do, but I will save your sister." Suddenly, Luke couldn't help but break down again as he looked over the dying form of his friend.

"Zekrom, come on…" Luke wept, "Zekrom, please hold on… Please… Stay with me!"

All Zekrom could manage was a faint smile, and one last sigh. With that sigh, the black dragon closed his eyes, and remained perfectly still.

This sudden loss was too much for Luke to bear. The teenage Lucario was numb with grief upon losing one of the best friends he had ever made; though he had only known Zekrom for the span of a single day, Luke felt like the two had been friends for years. Through his bitter tears, Luke made a grim, yet heartfelt, series of declarations.

"Reshiram, in the name of Arceus, I promise you that we will meet again, and I promise you that you will pay dearly for what you have done! Zekrom, under the same vow, I promise that I will do whatever is necessary to avenge you, and I will do whatever I must in order to fulfill the promises I made to you!"

The numbness Luke felt before was still present, but there were no other words that he could say to fully express his grief. Unable to move or speak, Luke tuned out the world around him, and wept freely.

Many long moments passed before Luke had no tears left to shed. Suddenly, doubt had set into the young Pokémon's heart. Still trembling over the unexpected loss of his friend, Luke stood and looked toward the sky.

"What have I gotten myself into?" he asked. "I'm all alone now. How can I possibly hope to fight Reshiram like this? How can I fulfill my promises to Zekrom, now? How can I possibly—" he shut his eyes, his thoughts returning to his outburst in the library. "How can I possibly complete this mission that I so foolishly accepted?"

"Young Luke, your quest is far from over," a mysterious voice calmly said.


	24. Chapter 24 -- An Impossible Encounter

"Who are you?" Luke asked the mysterious speaker. "What do you mean by saying that my quest is far from over? How can I succeed without Zekrom's power? Lastly, how do you know my name?"

Luke's interrogation of the mysterious speaker was interrupted by a glowing light suddenly emanating from Zekrom's body. The youngerPokémon turned his gaze toward the source of light with a sense of curiosity and fear; Zekrom was now fully cloaked in a bright blue light, and Luke quickly found himself having to shield his eyes from the luminescent field. Just as quickly as it arrived, the glow of light was gone, and in its place was a curious black stone.

Luke apprehensively picked up the stone that had taken the place of his fallen comrade.

"What the heck is this thing?" Luke wondered.

"That stone that you're holding is what's known as the Dark Stone," answered the voice from before.

"Alright, whoever you are…" Luke shouted to the wind, "show yourself! How do you know about this Dark Stone, and how do you know about me?"

Luke's demands were met with soft footsteps nearby, stopping when a stranger appeared in the trees close by.

Luke stared at the figure in the distance, and a familiar sense of curiosity gripped him.

"Karen?" he asked. "What are you doing here?" _There's no way she could know about me getting caught up with Reshiram and Zekrom…_ he thought as he waited for an answer from the one he believed was his sister.

Luke's question was met with a laugh from the Pokémon standing in the trees. When the laugh had passed, the stranger spoke. "I'm sorry, but I'm not who you think I am; though you're awfully close. You're not the first one to mistake me for her; a lot of the Pokémon back home thought we looked alike."

"What?" Luke asked.

Luke's confusion was addressed by the stranger calmly approaching. Suddenly, the mysterious Pokémon was standing face to face with Luke, giving the adventurer a much better look at his new visitor. With this better look, Luke was now frozen in shock, unable to speak in response to the Pokémon now in his presence.

The face staring back at him was one that he had only seen in pictures, some of which were old family pictures his father had shown him. Though he knew who this Pokémon was, he had some difficulty addressing them, partly out of doubt.

"I know who you are, but…it can't be possible. You're…" his voice softened to little more than a whisper. "Amber…" She smiled as Luke let out a sigh in an effort to collect his thoughts. "You can't be here now. Dad told me that you had died… You died about a year or so before his team found me; roughly seventeen years ago, to be exact. You had come down with pneumonia after you had apparently overworked yourself while helping with some relief efforts."

"Yes, it's true," Amber said, confirming Luke's grim observation. "Yes, I died all those years ago, but for me, it doesn't seem like that much time has passed. I miss everyone greatly; I miss my family and my friends."

"They all miss you just as much, if not more," Luke replied.

The two stood in silence for a moment before another thought entered Luke's mind.

"I need to know something," Luke said, suddenly. "Am I dreaming, or am I—" He paused for a moment. "Am I dead?"

"No, son. You're very much awake, and you're very much alive, though greatly wounded," Amber replied.

In order to convince himself that his adoptive mother really was standing before him, and that he was alive and well and not suddenly insane, Luke carefully placed the Dark Stone on the ground next to him, and cautiously reached out to touch Amber. With each small step he took, Luke gained more and more courage in the face of this new development. Finally, he gently placed one paw upon his mother's face. Amber smiled at the kind gesture, and placed a hand over her son's.

At that moment, Luke's confidence had returned, and he was now fully convinced that there was no trickery at work. With all suspicions addressed and the introductions out of the way, Luke eagerly stepped forward and embraced his mother, overjoyed beyond all mortal expression toward the honor of meeting her when he had been told such a meeting would be impossible so many times in the past.

"After all those times of him wishing that I could've met you," Luke whispered.

With that long-awaited embrace done, the two parted, and Luke's thoughts returned to his earlier questions.

"Now that all of that is out of the way," Luke began after clearing his throat. "What is the story behind the Dark Stone? How do you know about it, and furthermore…what do I do with it?"

Luke picked up the stone and held onto it protectively while he gazed intently at his mother, silently waiting for the mystery behind the strange black stone in his arms to be solved.


	25. Chapter 25 -- Mystery of the Stone

Amber closed her eyes, sighed, then calmly looked back at her son.

"That stone," she began, "is shrouded in a great deal of mystery. However, just as there is a lot of mystery behind it, there is also a lot that is known about that stone. As I told you before, the stone in your arms is the Dark Stone. A good way to describe what that stone is…" She paused to collect her thoughts. "The Dark Stone is a physical manifestation of Zekrom's power, a dormant form of his essence; in other words, the Dark Stone is Zekrom's spirit."

"That's amazing," Luke whispered, looking down at the stone in his arms.

"Yes, it is," Amber mused. "In any case, as long as the Dark Stone is kept safe, Zekrom will endure. In that regard, Zekrom isn't truly dead; he's merely resting. The Dark Stone is a form that Zekrom assumes only in extreme circumstances, such as when he has sustained severe physical damage; your battle against Reshiram is one such case. Zekrom used all of his power in that fight, and sustained a staggering amount of injury and fatigue along the way."

"Yeah… We didn't stand a chance," Luke lamented.

Amber shook her head sadly. "The situation was out of your control, son. Reshiram is already a very powerful Pokémon, but due to the emotions within her heart, her powers have been magnified. You and Zekrom fought bravely with everything you had. You did the best you could do, Luke. Trust me, with what I'm telling you, you'll be back on track before you know it." Luke managed a smile at his mother's words of encouragement, remembering all the times his father had given him a similar pep talk. After Amber had finished cheering up her son, she continued her explanation.

"In the same vein as Zekrom, Reshiram changes form as well: when the situation calls for it, like what happened to Zekrom, she becomes the Light Stone. Just as the Dark Stone is the dormant form of Zekrom's power, the Light Stone is the same for Reshiram."

"So, what then? What exactly do these stones do?" Luke asked.

Amber clarified her prior statement. "On their own, the two stones do nothing. However, when exposed to the right conditions, the stones can be restored. Basically, if you know where to go, the powers of Reshiram and Zekrom can be restored, thus reviving the dragons from their respective stones."

Luke's curiosity was now peaked; he couldn't help but wonder how his mother knew so much about these two stones, but he was greatly relieved to have some insight on his current predicament, feeling more and more optimistic along the way.

Sensing her son's curiosity, Amber spoke again. "I know your wondering about this convenient wealth of knowledge of mine," she said with a smile. "While living back at the agency, I've learned a great deal from stories I've heard from travelers and the various rescue teams and things I've read in the library."

A light went on in Luke's head at his mother's last statement. "About that," he chimed in, "back in the library, I came across this particular book. On the cover, there was a sort of design of Reshiram and Zekrom, almost like a kind of emblem. The book had a lot of information about the two dragons, such as where their shrines were located, the ancient war that led to them hiding within those shrines, and a great deal of information about their powers and various special talents they had, namely their respective affinity toward truth and ideals."

"I know what book you're referring to," Amber said, happily. "I've read that book, as well. I've also heard a few things about the two dragons, as I'm sure you have."

Luke nodded. "Yeah, some of the others were at least able to answer some questions about Reshiram. We didn't actually know about Zekrom until I found that book; I was the one who volunteered to go find Zekrom, since we had concluded from the text in the book that he was the only one who could stand a chance against Reshiram."

Luke immediately fell silent after making that particular recollection. Suddenly, the regret he felt at that particular moment had returned. Quickly, he turned away, hoping his mother wouldn't notice the tears welling up in his eyes.

Amber, however, knew that gesture well. Just as with any mother, Amber could sense her son's distress. Silently, she stepped over and calmly put an arm around him.

Pulling Luke close and lowering her voice to a whisper, Amber gently comforted her son. "Hey, cheer up, Luke. Whatever you may have said or did… I'm sure it was for the best. You're never alone, son; you have your fellow rescuers cheering you on, along with countless other Pokémon all over the various regions of the world. Never forget that, and never doubt your own abilities."

After drying his eyes, Luke was able to speak again. "Thanks, mom, I needed that."

"Any time, son," Amber said with a smile.

With the incident in the library behind him, Luke thoughts returned to the task at hand. "So, what are these circumstances you mentioned for restoring the Dark Stone? Where exactly am I supposed to take this thing?" Luke was already feeling better after learning that his friend could be revived, as the tone of his voice would indicate.

"That's an easy question to answer," Amber replied, calmly. "With the Dark Stone in hand, you must deliver that stone to another legendary Dragon-type Pokémon."

"Who?" Luke asked.

"In order to restore the Dark Stone's power, you must present it to the Dragon of Ice, Kyurem," Amber answered.


	26. Chapter 26 -- Legend of the Ice Dragon

Luke's excitement had increased exponentially; the young Pokémon had a huge lead on where to go next, and internally thanked the pleasant turn of fortune. That excitement was quickly joined by a wave of confusion.

"Mom? Who's Kyurem? I've never heard anything about a Pokémon by that name," Luke spoke.

"Of course not," Amber replied. "Not many have, as very little is known about him. Many believe Kyurem to be nothing more than an old myth or folktale. You might want to make yourself comfortable. This will be a long explanation."

Luke did as his mother suggested, carefully placing the Dark Stone on the grass and taking a seat next to it. Once he was as comfortable as possible, he looked up at his mother, his curious gaze urging her to begin.

After sitting next to her son, Amber began her explanation. "In addition to Reshiram and Zekrom, there is a third dragon that exists. Kyurem is that third dragon. Much like Reshiram is the "Dragon of Truth" and Zekrom is the "Dragon of Ideals," Kyurem has come to be known as the "Dragon of Ice." Within the existence of these three dragons is a connection that spans generations—a length of time that goes back long before the ancient war you read about."

Luke nodded, showing that he was listening intently, even though he didn't yet fully understand.

"Before Reshiram and Zekrom came into existence," Amber explained, "Kyurem was the only one of these three legendary Pokémon; in that era, Kyurem was still a complete being." She smiled, and gathered her thoughts. "Kyurem used to control the powers of fire and ice that now belong to Reshiram and Zekrom, respectively, in addition to his own powers of ice. With that, he represented the balance of truth and ideals."

"That's amazing," Luke commented.

"Yes, it is," Amber replied. "It is because of the balance that Kyurem and the power he held that he was so highly revered. To think that one Pokémon had that kind of power…"

Her voice trailed off and the two sat in silence for a moment before Amber continued the story.

"As the years passed by, Kyurem came to fear his own strength. Namely, he feared that his powers would put the world in danger, especially if they fell into the wrong hands."

"Kyurem was afraid of his power being controlled by someone with less than pleasant intentions," Luke commented.

"That's correct. However, he was also afraid that there would be a time when he would be unable to contain his own powers. It's been said that when a Pokémon possesses too much power, the elemental energy contained within that power—within their body—they would be driven mad from it, doing things they wouldn't normally do, such as attacking without reason or mercy."

"That's sounds like what happened to Reshiram!" Luke interrupted.

"But it's not the same," Amber clarified. "Reshiram's actions were out of simple rage and grief."

"I see… So, what happened to Kyurem when he started fearing his own powers?"

"He cast them off," Amber said, simply.

"That's it? Seriously?" Luke asked, flatly.

"There's a lot to it. He kept the powers of ice for himself, but cast off the powers of fire and electricity. Once he did this, the essence of those other powers took on a new form. The power of fire became the Light Stone and the power of electricity became the Dark Stone. After the stones were created, Kyurem imbued them with that which he used to represent. The Light Stone was imbued with the sense of truth and the Dark Stone was imbued with the sense of ideals. With that act completed, the two stones were cast away, making their way to a new home. Now alone and empty, Kyurem now represented something new: the lack of truth and ideals, and the cold void that absence created."

"That's interesting," Luke whispered as his mother gazed at the sky.

"Yes," she responded, pensively, "Once Kyurem sent the two stones away, he hid himself from the world, making his domain in a place as cold as his own being. No one knows exactly where he resides now, but there have been many rumors on the subject. The lack of any real proof is why Kyurem is dismissed as folklore; he hasn't been seen since that fateful day, and is consequently believed to be nonexistent."

"That's ridiculous!" Luke exclaimed. "They claim Kyurem doesn't exist just because they can't see him with their own eyes? How shallow can one be?"

"That doesn't stop the storytelling," Amber began, calming her son. "The fact that these stories even exist to be told is enough evidence that Kyurem does indeed exist and that the creation of the Light and Dark Stones really happened."

"You're right. Sorry about that," Luke apologized, calm after his sudden outburst.

"While no one knows Kyurem's exact location, we can at least make an educated guess. Considering the part of the legend that states Kyurem made his current domain in a place as cold as his own being would lead us to the logical conclusion that he's living in the arctic regions."

"The far north?" Luke asked.

"Yes, that's right," Amber confirmed. "It'll be dangerous; it gets so cold up that way that even Ice-type Pokémon are barely able to withstand the climate. We'll be hard-pressed to get there, find Kyurem, and be on our way. On top of that, we'll have to keep a careful watch on the Dark Stone; our journey will be a waste without it."

With all the information his mother had just shared, Luke was able to piece the puzzle together.

"I just got it!" Luke declared, happily. "The necessity of me carrying the Dark Stone… The means through which the stones were created… When the stones were cast away, they were sent to mountains on the opposite ends of the region. Over time, the stones were discovered, and the memories of Kyurem were still there."

"However, without Kyurem, the stones appeared useless, but showed their true form to one they felt was worthy. That lines up with the stuff I read in the library: after the stones were discovered, the power within was bestowed upon those who proved themselves worthy; that's when Reshiram and Zekrom truly came into existence. After the dragons agreed to share their power with the ones that came to be known as the Hero of Truth and the Hero of Ideals, that's when things took a turn for the worse."

Amber took time to clarify the situation further as her son paused to regain his composure.

"The two heroes had their own set of beliefs and with the legendary dragons on their side, they now had the means to enforce those beliefs, passing their thoughts onto those around them. Unfortunately, they had conflicting beliefs, and when they tried to force their specific way of thinking onto someone who had the opposite view… You can see where this is going."

Luke nodded and allowed his mother to continue the story.

"This difference of opinion and the stubbornness of refusing to at least tolerate that difference created an element of unrest that ultimately led to the legendary war between Reshiram and Zekrom. That war came to be called the War of Truth and Ideals, and there were countless casualties on both sides—not to mention the destruction that came along with that bloodshed. From there, it's the legend you are now well familiar with: the war ended when the two heroes realized the severity of their thoughts and actions, and they were able to make peace. After the world was rebuilt, Reshiram and Zekrom reverted back to their stone forms and the two shrines were built in their honor. Unfortunately, the present circumstances have changed that, but it is now up to you to make everything right again, son. But don't worry—you have plenty of assistance."

Luke closed his eyes and sighed. This was a lot of information to take in all at once, but he was at least relieved to have some insight on what to do next. His mother's last statements worried him somewhat—he didn't feel worthy or even able to accept such a burden, but he remembered his ordeal with Zekrom; the promises he made to the black dragon still echoed in his mind.

Luke wondered how he would go about finding Kyurem, especially with so few signs to follow. However, amidst the anxiety and doubt he felt, he refused to give up, and began pondering the next part of his journey.


	27. Chapter 27 -- A Night of Recollection

"Well…" Luke said as he stood up, carefully holding on to the Dark Stone. "We've got a lot of ground to cover if we're to find Kyurem. We had better get going."

"Not so fast," Amber interjected.

"What do you mean? We've figured out that we have to head north, right? The sooner we head that way, the better," Luke responded.

Amber shook her head. "I admire your determination, son, but take a look above you." She motioned to the night sky above. "And don't forget about the battle you narrowly survived," she said as she calmly draped an arm around Luke.

His father's words from before echoed in his mind. "You're right. I've had a rough day. I should get some rest. Then we can leave first thing tomorrow morning."

This elicited a smile from Amber. "He's taught you well."

"Yeah, everyone says that," Luke replied with a laugh. The laugh quickly faded into the night as a new question entered his mind.

"Luke, tell me," Amber began, "what is on your mind?"

"I'm wondering…" Luke started. After letting out a sigh, he finished his question. "We've already established that you've been watching over me. The question I have now is whether you'll actually be traveling with me or not. I don't want to assume anything at this point, you know."

"I understand," Amber replied, gently, as she closed her eyes.

After standing silently for a while, Amber opened her eyes and resumed her calm gaze from before.

"The best answer I can give is this," she said. "I will be traveling with you, but only temporarily. Just like you noticed before, I am merely a spirit that has taken on a familiar form. I have been given my earthly form, but it will not last forever. As such, I will not be accompanying you permanently."

"So how long, then?" Luke asked. "How long will you be traveling with me?"

"I cannot say for sure, but I can at least say that I will be with you as you search for Kyurem. However, what happens beyond that is a mystery to me, just as it is to you." After answering her son's thoughtful question, Amber fell silent again.

Satisfied in the answer he was given, Luke carefully placed the Dark Stone on the ground and assisted his mother in setting up a campfire. Once the two were seated, Luke picked up the Dark Stone and held it close to him in a protective manner.

"I'll keep my promise to you, no matter what it takes," he whispered.

"You know," Amber said, softly, "I've been watching over all of you. It's been hard not being able to actually see everyone. However, I am proud of you. You've taken your father's teachings well."

"Thanks, mom," Luke said happily.

Suddenly, the weight of the recent events and the next part of the mission caught up to Luke. Now struggling to stay awake, he gently rested his head on his mother's shoulder as he stared at the fire.

"Son?" Amber whispered, suddenly.

"Yeah?" he mumbled.

"Neither of us has any way of truly knowing how much time we'll have together. I have stated that I'll be traveling with you at least until we find Kyurem, but I can't make any sort of guess beyond that. If it's alright with you, I'd like the chance to hold you…at least once."

"Yeah, that's fine," Luke whispered, happily.

Once Luke had carefully placed the Dark Stone next to him, Amber gently lifted him into the kind of warming embrace only a mother could give. So many years of longing had been rewarded, and they both wished to make the most of it.

"Mom, I have a request of my own," Luke whispered.

"Of course, son," Amber calmly replied.

"I want dad to know about what's happened to me…and to Zekrom. Things took an unpleasant turn for a while, but everything is fine now. I know what I have to do to resolve what's happened, at least to a minor degree. I want him to know that I'm OK, and that I will do my best to take care of myself and make everyone proud of me." Luke's voice trailed off as he sleepily looked up at his mother.

"I'll be sure to let him know."

With a new sense of peace in his heart, Luke was asleep.

As she gently cradled her son, Amber gazed skyward and closed her eyes in a state of meditation.

_Blaze_, she began, _I'm guessing you didn't expect to ever hear from me again. There is something important I need to tell you. No doubt you're worried about Luke. I can assure you that he is fine, though things did take an unfortunate turn. He wanted me to let you know. Reshiram and Zekrom were sadly forced to do battle, but the attempts made by Luke and Zekrom weren't enough to calm the Dragon of Truth. Zekrom was defeated, but he was reverted to the Dark Stone._

_Luke had a list of doubts about where to go next, but I was able to reassure him and help him figure out what needed to be done. The only chance we have currently is for the Dark Stone to be taken to Kyurem. Do not worry, Blaze; I will be traveling with him as he makes this difficult journey. Our son is in good hands._

_I'd like to also add some comments of my own. I miss you, and I know that you miss me just as much, if not more. I've been watching over you and the others back home. I'm really proud of how well you've raised Luke. I could see it in his eyes; he truly cares about you—he loves you. Again, I promise you that our son will be cared for. I'll be thinking of you as well, my ever-burning flame. Please take care of yourself. I love you, Blaze._

Once Amber was finished with this prayer of sorts, she gently laid Luke next to the fire before laying down next to him. After watching Luke for a moment, Amber softly kissed him on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams, my son," she whispered as she laid back on the cool grass. Silently, she closed her eyes and fell asleep a moment later.


End file.
